WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz vs Marin Cilic Qatar Open clash draws $80,000,000-worth Jimmy Butler and $48,000,000-worth Arsene Wenger in attendance

Jimmy Butler and Arsene Wenger were in attendance to witness a battle between the two Grand Slam champions, Carlos Alcaraz vs Marin Cilic at the 2025 Qatar Open. The clash of generations ended with the in-form Spaniard getting the better of the Croat veteran.

Top seed Alcaraz and Cilic faced each other in a mouthwatering opening-round match in Doha. However, the 21-year-old proved to be too big of a test for Cilic, who was returning to tennis after recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of action since November last year. The top seed scored a roaring 6-4, 6-4 win in his Doha debut.

Former Arsenal coach, $48 million-worth Arsene Wenger (via Celerity Net Worth), who is considered one of the greatest managers of all time, and the newest addition to the Golden State Warriors' arsenal, $80 million-worth Jimmy Butler (via Celebrity Net Worth) witnessed the thriller between the two tennis legends.

It is worth noting that Butler and Alcaraz are good friends and the former has often been seen cheering the latter on in attendance, through social media, or his interviews. The two also played some tennis in front of the Doha crowd following the Spaniard's win.

Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his season at the 2025 Australian Open where he failed to move past the quarterfinals. However, he shut out the noise around his consistency by clinching the Rotterdam Open defeating the likes of Botic van de Zandschulp, Hubert Hurkacz, and Alex de Minaur en route.

"It's been a dream" - Carlos Alcaraz reflects on his journey as a professional tennis player

Carlos Alcaraz - Source: Getty

During his on-court interview, Carlos Alcaraz was told he would be completing five years as a professional tennis player. The Spaniard made his tour debut at the 2020 Rio Open at the age of 16 against his compatriot Albert Ramos Vinolas, who was seeded seventh. Alcaraz emphatically clinched a three-set win announcing himself to the world.

“It’s been a dream. The journey since that moment has been a dream. I’ve faced a lot of difficult moments. But I think this journey has been a dream for me since getting my first ATP match win to reaching my dream, becoming world #1, winning Grand Slams.. I would describe it as a dream," he said.

However, he fell to Federico Coria in the second round in another three-set thriller.

Coming back to the present, Carlos Alcaraz will await the winner of Zhang Zhizhen vs Luca Nardi in the second round.