Coco Gauff, Novak Djokovic and Simone Biles

Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff are popular worldwide. In fact, global marketing success has little to do with how successful a player is. If that were the case, Djokovic would be one of the top three brands in the world. He’s not far off, but he’s not in the top ten either.

At least that’s what a study by Sports Pro shows. The website has compiled a list of the 50 most marketable athletes in the world, and Gauff (13) is ahead of Djokovic (18). The positive thing, however, is that six other tennis players are also included in the top 50.

Tennis may not be one of the biggest sports in the United States, but Sports Pro’s list suggests that tennis has appeal everywhere else. Carlos Alcaraz is ranked No. 29, Rafael Nadal is No. 34, Aryna Sabalenka is No. 38, Jannik Sinner is No. 47, Naomi Osaka is No. 48 and Iga Swiatek is No. 50. This is a solid group of professional tennis players who have some product to sell .

Still, it would be nice if one of the players was in the top 10. Number one is Simone Biles. Biles’ popularity not only proves that her personality makes people like her, but it also shows how much attention gymnastics can attract. Of course Biles is incredibly successful and that helps, but so is Djokovic.

One might wonder where Djokovic would rank if he were American. He has 24 Grand Slam titles and more weeks at the top of the ATP rankings than any other man ever, but he may simply have been born in a part of the world that doesn’t lend itself to global marketing. Gauff is American and that helps.

The other part that could hurt tennis would be if Sinner is found guilty of doping if the World Anti-Doping Agency wins its appeal because the International Tennis Integrity Agency found Sinners innocent. This could harm all tennis players because the sport could be viewed as a doping agent. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

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