Carlos Alcaraz has become the great sensation of Spanish and world tennis at the start of the course. The 18-year-old from Murcia has carved out a niche for himself among the greats of racket sport with the final of the Miami Masters 1,000. He had previously reached the semi-finals of the TMS in Indian Wells.
Four years with Juan Carlos Ferrero. It marks the fourth season of partnership between the former world number one and the promise of El Palmar. Ferrero, after tutoring Alexander Zverev, was excited to mold a young promise like Carlos and help him on the difficult path to enter the elite.
Driver’s license, like a title. Carlos took the book to study the theory of the driving license to quarantine in Australia in 2021. One of his dreams was to get his license as soon as possible and he achieved it at the beginning of last February. “I honestly don’t know when I was more nervous, the car exam or the final in Rio with Schwartzman,” he says.
Madridista and the desire to see Mbapp in white. Alcaraz, like Nadal, is a great football fan and his colors are clear. He is a fan of Madrid, like the people around him since Ferrero is also a fan of the team from the Spanish capital. His wish is that the signing of the Frenchman Mbapp for the next season be definitively confirmed. “Hopefully, everyone wants Mbapp in his team,” he says. He had never been in a big stadium watching a football match until he witnessed Spain’s victory against Sweden in La Cartuja live, which gave him the passport to the World Cup in Qatar.
Golf after tennis. His coach’s interest in golf has made Carlos begin to hit the clubs with ease. He resembles Nadal, another great follower and who takes advantage of much of his free time to play.
Chess and siesta to prepare for matches. The Murcian likes to work on mental agility through chess. He usually plays matches before his commitments. “It helps me to be faster mentally, to observe moves, to see the move you want to make, the strategy… To be focused all the time. In this aspect they are two quite similar disciplines”. Just as important is the nap. “Recovery is key and naps before games are for me.”
Rolex has him as an ambassador. The prestigious watch brand sees him as a perfect replacement for Roger Federer due to the values he transmits both on and off the track. His most recent union has been with his land, Murcia, where he has become an ambassador of the Costa Clida destination. The multinational Nike, which accompanied the careers of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Federer or Nadal, among others, bet on him in 2020 as the future of tennis.
The largest team on the circuit. Behind a phenomenon like the player from El Palmar there is a great team with Ferrero, his agent at IMG Albert Molina, the physiotherapists Juanjo Moreno, Sergio Hernández and Fran Rubio, the doctor Juanjo López, the physical trainers lex Sánchez and Alberto Lled , the psychologist Isabel Balaguer and an Equelite Academy that turns every day to give you all the facilities. Antonio Martínez Cascales, Ferrero’s mentor, accompanies him in some tournaments like the one in Rio, which ended in his showcase.
Third of the Race 2022. Alcaraz, thanks to his 17 wins this season, has crept onto the ATP podium. Ahead of him only Nadal and Daniil Medvedev appear. The goal of debuting as a master in the Turin Masters Cup, getting closer. If he wins the final in Miami tomorrow, he will pass Medvedev and on Monday he will appear second in the Race.
Sushi, the night before games. Carlitos has never had a problem with food, but he likes to be faithful to Japanese food before games. “I was never a boy who ate badly. What I have improved is supplementation, being more aware of how important it is to eat well. It has been one of the keys to my physical change.”
His brother Álvaro, a worthy ‘sparring’. Alcaraz was especially excited that his brother would accompany him to the Rio tournament. They trained together in the first preparatory session in Rio de Janeiro and it was the prelude to the coronation.
