When Carlos Alcaraz won his maiden US Open title in 2022, the world witnessed the rise of a 19-year-old Spanish talent. Three years later, that teenager has transformed into the most dominating force the game has seen in recent years. This time, when Alcaraz won his second trophy in New York, routing archrival Jannik Sinner in front of a packed crowd of over 20,000 inside Arthur Ashe, the 22-year-old issued a statement about his thumping win and how. Remember that championship point he sealed with a now-iconic ace that breached Sinner’s defense as he watched the ball fly into the stands? Guess what? That ball just made history while also eclipsing WTA legend Serena Williams’ rare milestone.

Alcaraz’s final match point ball, which he hit an ace with to beat Sinner and clinch the 2025 US Open title, was recently sold for $88,900 at Sotheby’s. With that, it shattered the record for the maximum price that a tennis ball has been sold at a public auction. Do you know who held that distinction prior to Alcaraz? None other than 23-time slam queen and former icon Serena Williams. Back in June this year, Williams’ final match point ball from her 2013 US Open triumph had sold for $9,525. Now here comes the best part.

Initially, the ball for Williams’ decade-old US Open match point was expected to swing between $30,000 and $50,0000 of range. However, the final amount of $9,525 was nowhere near that. But it still topped the list – until this week. Speaking of Alcaraz’s case, things were completely different for the six-time slam champion. For his final-point ball, which went for an ace, the bidding started below $10,000. However, the figure soon skyrocketed in no time, ultimately reaching almost $90,000, as reported by Cllct on September 23.

Before Alcaraz’s final match point ball found itself in the history books, another one of his encounters from the 2025 US Open went past Serena’s milestone. The ball from his semifinal battle against Novak Djokovic sold for $31,750. Later, however, the one featured in the summit clash against Sinner went on to send cash registers ringing.

The latest news is mind-boggling for a number of reasons. Especially when considering how the craze these days is accelerating among sports enthusiasts. Specifically, for tennis-based sports memorabilia from tentpole events like the Grand Slams. Last year, the final point ball from Alcaraz’s 2022 US Open title clash against Casper Ruud had sold for just $1,574. Seems like the picture has completely changed a year later.

Carlos Alcaraz hits yet another US Open milestone in auctions

When it comes to smashing records in auctions, Carlos Alcaraz has been making waves throughout this season. Just months ago, in June, his 2022 NetPro Premium Autograph Golden Slam Rookie Card sold for a whopping $237,907 at Goldin auctions. It set the record for the most valuable card featuring a men’s tennis player. And guess what?

This rookie card broke Alcaraz’s own record from another auction. His 1-of-1 2024 Topps Royalty Racket Knob Autograph Relic Card, from his triumphant Indian Wells campaign last year, was sold for $222,000.

But there is more to the Alcaraz magic. It seems even his shoes are turning into a luxury item for collectors. His match-worn and signed custom Nike Vapor 12 Playful Pink sneakers from the 2025 US Open semifinal against Djokovic were sold for $57,150. The size 11 shoes were authenticated by Sotheby’s and PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator).

What do you think of Alcaraz’s growing popularity in tennis? Is he going to become the biggest name in the history of the racket sport moving forward? Let us know in the comments below.