History has been made in the world of tennis. At 20, Carlos Alcaraz Grafia is the youngest sportsman to win the Wimbledon 2023 Gentlemen’s Singles title after beating four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic. What unfolded on Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England on 16th July, 2023, turned out to be a game to remember for the ages with the most epic clash one could expect.
Ranked as the youngest number-one tennis player in the world as per ATP Rankings, the Spaniard has won five titles in the last year, one of which happens to be the ATP Masters 1000 Madrid. Following his win at the 2022 US Open, Alcaraz became the youngest man in history and the first teenager in the Open Era to top the singles rankings. Alcaraz defeated the GOAT players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open this year to win his first-ever title at Manzanares Park Tennis Center. He also claimed his maiden Grand Slam title by defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud. As the winner of the Wimbledon 2023 championship, he was rewarded with a prize of £2,350,000 (approximately $2.9 million).
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We have been reading, watching and hearing all about this boy wonder. With his grit, determination and passion for the sport, Carlos Alcaraz has proved that he is a force to be reckoned with in world tennis. Let’s know more about his journey.
Like Father Like Son
Carlos Alcaraz González was among the top 40 professional tennis players in Spain in the early 90s. He was also the director at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia (Royal Society Murciashire Club) and one of the main Murcians to acquire ATP focuses. González and Alcaraz attended various tennis events together. Now we know, that’s where he got it from. His father introduced him to tennis when he was four years old and eventually assigned former World No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrera to further mentor his game in 2018 so he could compete at the highest level. He then began playing at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s Equelite JC Ferrero Sport Academy.
Dreams Do Come True
Winning the Wimbledon Championship was a dream that Carlos had spoken of since he was a child. In a video that is going viral on social media, a 12-year-old Alcaraz is seen talking about his dream to win Grand Slam titles and his admiration for Roger Federer.
Pequeno trecho da entrevista de Carlos Alcaraz, aos 12 anos, dizendo qual era um de seus sonhos se se tornasse tenista profissional.
— Marcela Linhares (@ma__linharess) July 16, 2023
A criança não parou de sonhar.
Hoje realizou um dos sonhos.
Campeão de Wimbledon 2023 tem nome e sobrenome.
E ainda conquistou isso batendo um… pic.twitter.com/iXcuKPiVKm
It is no easy feet to play in front of, let alone defeat, the greatest legends of the game. Yet Alcaraz has done it at such a young age and garnered respect from all his idols. All the known ace players from Rafa to Nadal to Serena and more, have been raining praises for him and his game on social media. Here’s what Wimbledon 2023 runner-up Novak Djokovic had to say about his opponent:
Alcaraz’s Noteworthy Achievements
– 3rd Spanish man after Manuel Santana and Rafael Nadal to win Wimbledon.
– 4th Spanish player to win multiple Grand Slam titles, after Nadal, Santana and Sergi Bruguera.
– 5th man in the Open Era to win multiple Grand Slam titles under 21.
– Third-youngest men’s champion at Wimbledon after Bjorn Borg and Boris Becker.
– Won twelve ATP Tour-level singles titles, 2022 US Open, and four Masters 1000 titles.
– With 2 titles on the ITF Junior Circuit, 3 titles on the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour and 4 on the ATP Challenger Tour, he broke into the top 100 in rankings in May 2021.
– Won various titles at the Croatia Open, ATP 500 title at the Rio Open, first Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open and second ATP 500 title at the Barcelona Open.
– Awarded the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award in May 2023.
– Hailed as an eccentric mix of The Big Three: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
His Game
Alcaraz is acclaimed for his athletic and physical traits. His direct sprints, counter-attacking abilities, high peak footspeed, assured lateral movement and court-coverage have drawn comparisons to the likes of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Carlos is an all-court, all-round tennis player, while employing an aggressive baseline style of play. The high winner count from his forehand is typically his most reliable and potent shot. His super fast forehand shot with added topspin, his backhand groundstroke, greatly disguised drop shot and impressive net-game, all contribute in making his game extremely tough to defeat. The first serve is consistent and can go as fast as 140 mph with an excellent and reliable second serve. And with an added topspin, it reaches 150 to 170 km/h.
Life On The Brand Field
The top tennis player in the world also has the top brands of the world vying for him. Nike is the sponsor for Alcaraz’s clothing and shoes while Babolat is for racquets with the Babolat Pure Aero 98 racquet. In January 2022, Rolex roped him in as a brand ambassador. He is also a brand ambassador for dermocosmetics company Isdin, Spanish food company ElPozo, and German automobile manufacturer BMW under their BMW Spain division. American clothing brand Calvin Klein got Carlos to be their brand ambassador starting with their 1996 underwear campaign in January 2023. And last month the French fashion house, Louis Vuitton, brought him in as a brand ambassador.
The future looks only and only bright for this young breakout star and we can’t wait to keep witnessing his greatness!
