Spanish tennis phenom Carlos Alcaraz signed a seven-year extension of his endorsement contract with Babolat in 2023. Now, to match the release of a ninth generation of his signature racquet, a Pure Aero, Babolat is releasing a parallel line, called Carlitos Junior, for players aged 4 to 13 – according to TradeSport and Essentially Sports.
The line comprises five racquets of differing size and an equipment bag. The racquets come with visual cues for children, grip sizes designed to fit children’s hands and string patterns designed to suit children’s stroke.
The brand released a similar line, in collaboration with France’s Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Biologie et Motricité (LIBM), in 2023.
The idea is to provide something more than a shrunk adult racquet – and to seal the deal with customers (possible budding pros) from the start. Like Rafael Nadal before him, who signed with the brand when he was 9, Alcaraz first signed with Babolat at the age of 10, joining the brand’s international team at 13. He has been playing with Pure Aero since he was 4. He is now 22.
