Being popular in a highly competitive sport requires you to be a step ahead of everyone. Well, it seems like two of the most glorious tennis stars have understood the process quite well. In a recent list of the most marketable athletes in the whole world, a new twist came for tennis. World’s No.1 Novak Djokovic and the rising American star Coco Gauff secured a good spot for themselves.

Since legends like Serena Williams and Roger Federer are not in the circuit anymore, someone had to take charge. There were other tennis players on the list as well. However, these two were the first ones from tennis who were mentioned.

Novak Djokovic in the lead

The absence of Williams and Federer has undoubtedly created a huge vacuum in tennis. Even though many players are constantly trying to fill the gap, it looks like only a select few are able to actually do so. Apart from Djokovic and Gauff, there were other stars like Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka as well.

The initial 10 names in the Sportspro list do not include any tennis players. However, Djokovic’s name pops up soon at the 11th spot on the list. Gauff was next to Djokovic at the 12th spot. It is important to understand that this list is not describing the best athletes, rather it acknowledges their popularity among the masses. Not long ago, Federer and Williams were the literal representation of tennis worldwide.

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Gauff and Djokovic ran an impressive game this year. Both the players are in their best form and are staying in the headlines pretty often. Maintaining a retention rate among the fandom is not an easy task. Although phenomenal skills do support a bit, it’s still not enough.

What makes an athlete more marketable?

Stars like Djokovic and Gauff don’t really need anything special to become fan favorites. They possess the attitude and demeanor, both on and off the court. Another plus point is them being vocal about their thoughts and opinions. Williams herself is known for being quite expressive. Keeping skills aside, these are some compulsory qualities to have.

There are many similarities between Federer and Djokovic. They both share an immense goal of making the sport more accessible. They often speak about mental health issues among athletes. However, they’re quite different when it comes to their personalities.

It is safe to say that Djokovic is doing a good job of representing tennis on all fronts. It’s not like Williams and Federer have completely cut off their ties with tennis. However, since they are officially retired, the focus has been shifted to the new stars.

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