Carlos Alcaraz is the one who lifts the trophies, something he is getting used to with his exhibitions. Photo: Getty.
The emergence and meteoric progression of Carlos Alcaraz on the ATP tennis circuit, in which at 18 he is already the eleventh player in the world, has led to “many companies” being interested in sponsoring this young man from Murcia, as he has pointed out his representative, Albert Molina, in an interview granted to EFE.
Carlos Alcaraz is the one who lifts the trophies, something he is getting used to with his exhibitions, but behind his triumphs there is a large team and one of the people who stands out in him is Molina, used to driving the race of champions and who shows blind faith in his represented because, in addition, he gives him reasons for it.
“I don’t see a ceiling for Carlos. He has the potential to be number one in the world and he is a 10 when it comes to wanting to be a professional 24 hours a day, which is the key to success”, says someone who knows very well what he is up to on the track and off. her.
“There are many firms that knock on the door and there are more and more. In each tournament that is played, Carlos’s exposure worldwide is very large and there are a good number of companies that show their interest in sponsoring him”, he explains.
This 50-year-old from Badalona, who has been representing tennis players for 17 years, therefore accumulates extensive professional experience and some of the best tennis players of recent years, both in the ATP and the WTA, have passed through his hands.
Currently, in addition to Alcaraz, he guides the careers of Pablo Carreño, Carlos Gimeno, Martín Landaluce, Daniel Mérida and Rafael Segado and has also done so with David Ferrer, throughout his entire career; Nicolás Almagro, Garbiñe Muguruza, Paula Badosa and the Italian Sara Errani.
He has been in charge of Carlos since he was 13 years old and highlights having advised him as a child. “I like to work with young people from below and be a part of their evolution with trust as the basis of the relationship,” he says.
Molina’s task basically consists of “developing the commercial work in terms of searching for sponsorships and also in the formation of the sports structure”, indicates this professional from the multinational International Management Group (IMG).
Regarding these sponsorships, he acknowledges that “there are many firms that knock on the door and there are more and more”.
The sports brand that dresses and shoes Carlos is the American Nike and the racket brand that the French Babolat wields.
“With both we have signed long contracts, specifically until 2025 in both cases, and we have already begun to talk about extending them. The two firms are very interested in this being the case and are delighted with Carlos and excited about his progression because the boy is doing exceptionally well and he has many years ahead of him. They are brands specialized in the world of sports, and particularly in tennis, and this sponsorship is important for them”, explains Molina, who values Alcaraz for his tennis level and for his behavior on and off the court.
“He is a very easy boy to represent despite his youth. He shows incredible maturity and you can talk to him about any matter and he understands everything very easily because he is intelligent and learns quickly. It is a luxury to work with him on a personal level”, he comments.
From his position he dares to give advice above others who are under his tutelage. “To Carlos, like to all the players I have taken, I tell them to work every day, because that is the fundamental thing to achieve the goals. To succeed you need talent but without work, talent doesn’t get you anywhere. I also let each tennis player who passes through my hands know that he has to want to be a professional 24 hours a day. Carlos is a ten in that and the family environment also helps him a lot and the same goes for the coaches who have worked with him and who have managed him until Juan Carlos Ferrero arrived”, he states and adds that “the team in that sense is key because successes are not achieved by just one person”.
In that group Ferrero is a basic figure. “It was a great decision to choose him based on what has happened since then. Finding a better coach than him is very difficult and without a doubt he is a fundamental piece in the evolution of Alcaraz. I went to look for him three years ago and I already knew that in addition to being a great coach he would provide us with values as a person that are needed on a day-to-day basis. A very high percentage of the success so fast that Carlos is having is his”, explains Molina, who is firmly committed to Carlos Alcaraz.
“Honestly, I don’t see a ceiling for him and he has the potential to be number 1 in the world and achieve the most important challenges, which is to win Grand Slam tournaments,” he says regarding this boy who has already won an ATP 250 (Umag), an ATP 500 (Rio de Janeiro) and a Masters 1,000 (Miami) and that he will have his chances of doing something outstanding at Roland Garros.
“He is among the candidates for victory, of course, and it will be so in any tournament he plays given his level and competitive nature, although today there are other tennis players who, in addition to being contenders, are favorites like Novak Djokovic and especially Rafa Nadal in Paris. ”, Admits who represents the tennis player of the moment and who seems to have come to stay.
