What Clothing Brand Does Aslan Karastev Wear?

Aslan Karastev is a Russian tennis player who has made an enormous evolution in the last two years. He went from an average Top 200 player in his late twenties to becoming World no. 15 in 2021. He also made a Grand Slam semi-final when he lost to only the great Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open.

There is no denying that Aslan Karatsev’s ascension is absolutely insane and unusual, to say the least. Only a few people knew him before the 2021 season.

Another shocking fact about Aslan is that he didn’t have a clothing sponsor like you would expect from a Top 100 player during the majority of 2021.

He played most of the time with unbranded clothing, unlike his fellow Russians such as Medvedev or Rublev who are noticeably famous and enjoy premium sponsorship from different tennis brands like Lacoste, Nike, and so on.

However, Aslan Karatsev’s rise is so glorious that the player was recently approached by a sportswear sponsor for his tennis clothes. So what clothing brand does Aslan Karastev wear?

Aslan Karatsev has signed a contract with the Italian luxury sportswear brand HYDROGEN and is currently wearing its clothes on the Tour.

What Was Aslan Karatsev Old Clothing Sponsor?

Aslan has signed a deal with Adidas in 2016, but he doesn’t receive the freshest gear for his matches. In 2021, he played a good amount of games in unbranded clothes, which became an intrigue for journalists and a good tale to tell for the player.

According to an interview with ATP Tour, Aslan is not fully paid for wearing Adidas clothing. And despite his fulgurous ascension in the rankings and the titles he won, he could only be sponsored in the last quarter of 2021 when the companies lock in the contract deals.

Why Wasn’t Karatsev Sponsored for a Long Time?

When you look at the very top of the ATP players, almost everyone is paid to wear clothes from a particular sportswear company. But this contract is tied with the player’s attitude and performance on the circuit.

The player must be dedicated to tennis, disciplined and he also needs to win matches and tournaments. The bigger the sponsor, the more results are required to have a larger exposure and notoriety for the brand.

Karatsev wasn’t getting good results with Adidas kits and he preferred to play with no brand in multiple games.

When Aslan made the semi-final of the Australian Open 2021, most companies waited for a newer achievement to back up his Grand Slam run before they can bet on him with a contract.

“It has been very busy over the past five weeks, but more so since he won the Dubai title last week. I think a number of people were waiting to see if he could back up his Australian Open run.”

Karatsev’s agent Pierre Christen – Source: atptour.com

What is Hydrogen?

Hydrogen is an Italian luxury sportswear retailer for men and women, founded by Designer Alberto Bresci in 2003.

They sell luxury sports goods and they have special lines for tennis and golf. The products come with numerous limited editions of collection garments, all rigorously made in Italy and Turkey.

The essence of Hydrogen is to distinguish itself from the others, by bringing fresh street styles to the most sportive equipment.

According to the founder, the name HYDROGEN confers a sense of provocation and hopefulness in the sense that the cars in the future will run on hydrogen fuel.

The brand presented itself to the vast tennis public after signing contacts with top player Fabio Fognini.

After his departure to Emporio Armani, they replaced the Italian star with two high profiles of the tennis world, Tomas Berdych and Feliciano Lopez.

Why Did Karatsev Get Sponsored by Hydrogen?

We already know the answer to why he got sponsored. It is because he won two titles in 2021 confirming his form: an ATP500 in Dubai after beating Lloyd Harris, and an ATP250 in Russia after beating Marin Cilic in the final.

However, I personally think that he chose Hydrogen over other brands because it was the bigger financial offer.

 “Since the ATP Cup and the Australian Open, we’ve had plenty of offers, but we’re waiting for a bigger offer,”

Karatsev’s agent Pierre Christen – Source: atptour.com

Aslan is now proving to be a worthy brand ambassador for Hydrogen by winning another ATP250 title in Sydney over British Superstar Andy Murray.

What ATP Players does Hydrogen Sponsor?

The Italian company has collaborated recently with numerous figures in male tennis.

One of the first players to play with Hydrogen gear was the Italian star Fabio Fognini. He is known for being exotic and explosive on the court. The general vibe of the brand along with the famous skull logo suited Fabio and appeared intimidating.

They also sponsored Feliciano Lopez and Tomas Berdych in 2019.

As of the beginning of 2022, these are the top ATP players currently playing with Hydrogen clothes.

Player	Country	Age	Highest ATP ranking
Aslan Karatsev	Russia	28	#15 (in 2021)
Adrian Mannarino	France	33	#22 (in 2018)
Marton Fucsovics	Hungary	29	#31 (in 2019)
Ilya Ivashka	Belarus	27	#43 (in 2021)
Federico Coria	Argentina	29	#61 (in 2021)
Egor Gerasimov	Belarus	29	#65 (in 2020)
Jozef Kovalik	Slovakia	29	#80 (in 2018)

Final Words

Most tennis fans including me were astounded by the fact that one of the fastest rising tennis players who is sitting in the Top 20, plays without branded clothing.

Fortunately, Aslan Karatsev is now being trusted and supported by one of the hottest tennis brands, along with Head with his PT57A2 racquet.

We wish him more success in the upcoming years.