Carlos Alcaraz: In conversation with tennis’ brightest new talent
Aged just 20, Carlos Alcaraz is giving tennis’ most seasoned pros a run for their money. We sit down with a legend in the making
Since 2006, 71 men’s Grand Slam singles tennis titles have been awarded. Of these, just 12 have been won by players outside the holy trinity of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. In fact, so dominant have these three been that, when Federer retired in 2022, there was much grumbling among tennis communities about how boring competitions were about to become now that it was a two-horse race. Then a Spanish teenager named Carlos Alcaraz stepped on court.
Joining the ATP tour in 2020 as a 16-year-old wildcard, a year later Alcaraz became the youngest-ever participant in a men’s singles Grand Slam at the Australian Open. In the same year, he became the youngest player to break into the top 100 rankings, and the youngest player ever to win a match at the Madrid Open. True, he was soundly defeated by Nadal in the second round (on his 18th birthday), but heads were turned. Did tennis finally have a contender to take on the big boys, or would Alcaraz be yet another flash in the pan?
If you have even a passing interest in tennis you’ll know he’s very much on track to prove himself to be the latter. By the end of 2022, Alcaraz had won the Rio, Miami and Madrid Opens and taken his first Grand Slam title, winning the US Open in a gruelling series of matches that included a 5 hour 15 minute epic against Jannick Sinner that ended at 2.50 am. The win cemented his place in the record books as the first teenager to be ranked number one in the world.
Image: Rolex
Image: Rolex
And yet, perhaps unfairly, detractors were quick to dismiss the win. Alcaraz had not, you see, taken on either Nadal or Djokovic to achieve his US Open win – so it didn’t really count, right? Never mind the fact that Alcaraz had, in fact, defeated them both at the 2022 Madrid Open, you can only be the best if you beat the best when it really counts. Needless to say, Alcaraz’s victory over Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final roundly silenced the critics.
Off court, Alcaraz has also proved to be an advertiser’s dream. Young, handsome and with a reliable track record that regularly sees him in semi-finals and finals at major tournaments, it is unsurprising that his current endorsement deals feature household names including Nike, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein and BMW. As of 2022, he’s also joined a roster of tennis stars, including Dominic Thiem, Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz and Caroline Wozniacki, enlisted to show off the latest Rolex timepieces – preferably, one imagines, while holding a big, shiny trophy.
Fresh from the 2023 US Open, we caught up with Alcaraz to talk watches, winning and how he unwinds off-court.
Winning the Rio Open in February felt like a breakthrough moment for me in 2022 as it was my first ATP 500 title and established my performance for the season. Lifting the trophy at the Mutua Madrid Open was also very special. It’s my favourite tournament, at home and with incredible fans. And of course, winning the US Open in September was amazing, getting my first Grand Slam in New York and becoming the world number one. That’s what you work for every day.
Yes, clay is my favourite surface. I’ve grown up playing on clay and I feel a special connection with the surface, although I enjoy playing on any type of court. This year, I was really excited to get my clay court season underway with a win at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires.
The US Open.
I’m a very normal, relaxed guy. I like being with my friends, going out to dinner or playing golf.
To continue on my journey while continuing to enjoy myself on court.
First, enjoying playing tennis; second, being mentally strong; and third, having a good team behind you. I think these three aspects are essential if you want to be successful on court.
It means so much to me. I identify with Rolex in so many ways, and being able to start this journey together is a dream come true. Rolex has been committed to tennis for more than 40 years, helping make key developments in the sport. Rolex has associated itself with the main bodies that run tennis globally, including the ATP and WTA Tours, supporting today’s champions, but also those of the future. That is vital for tennis.
Laver, Borg and Federer are three great champions that took the game to a new level, but Roger set an example to follow on and off the court.
I have a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona which I love, and which has become a talisman for me because it has been with me for all my biggest wins in 2022, which were so important to my career.
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