"Any answer other than Nadal is incorrect" - Tennis fans debate over winner of imaginary tennis version of Ballon d'Or

Tennis fans recently debated over who among Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Carlos Alcaraz could emulate Karim Benzema and lift tennis' version of the prestigious Ballon d'Or - Raquette d'Or. While the 'Raquette d'Or' prize does not exist in tennis, fans let their imaginations soar while debating over their favorites.

Real Madrid's Benzema (men's) and Barcelona's Alexia Putellas (women's) clinched the 2022 Ballon d'Or trophies on Monday, an award presented by France Football to the best male and female soccer players of the year.

In light of the same, Eurosport initiated a debate on social media, asking fans to pick their winner of the imaginary 'Raquette d'Or' with Nadal, Djokovic, and Alcaraz as prime contenders.

The debate drew some interesting reactions from the tennis world. While many picked the 36-year-old Spaniard as the undisputed winner for having won two Grand Slam titles this season, Djokovic, who won Wimbledon, and 19-year-old Alcaraz, who clinched his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, also had fans vouching for them.

"Any answer other than Nadal is incorrect. 2 Slam titles is better than 1. Masters don't equate to a Slam," a fan wrote on Twiiter.

"This is probably the hardest year to choose ATP player of the year i can remember. Nadal won 2 slams so you'd think he'd be the obvious pick, but no...Alcaraz played the best tennis this year imo but it lasted a month and it wasn't at a slam," another fan opined.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans as to who would win the 'Raquette d'Or':

Rafael Nadal ranked as 16th most marketable athlete in the world, Novak Djokovic drops down to 46th place

The two tennis greats during the 2022 Laver Cup

Rafael Nadal is the 16th most marketable athlete in the world, and most marketable among male tennis players, according to a report published by SportsPro.

Among tennis players overall, the Spaniard bagged fifth place, behind Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, and Simona Halep. The 22-time Grand Slam singles champion jumped 10 places from the 26th spot last year.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has dropped from ninth to 46th in the list of the most marketable athletes in the world. The Serbian great's COVID vaccination-related controversies led to a huge divide of opinion among fans and also affected his brand associations, which in turn affected his marketability index score.

Meanwhile, Roger Federer, who recently retired from professional tennis, was ranked 23rd overall and just behind the Spaniard among tennis players.