Alcaraz began his professional career in 2018 at age 14. He broke into the top 100 of the rankings in May 2021, and ended that year ranked No. 32 after reaching the US Open quarterfinals. In March 2022, he won his first ATP 1000 title at the Miami Open at the age of 18. Alcaraz won his first major title at the 2022 US Open, becoming the youngest man and the first male teenager in the Open Era to top the singles rankings, at 19years, 130days old. After finishing the year as the youngest year-end No. 1 in ATP rankings history, he was named the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year for his performance that season.
Carlos Alcaraz Garfia was born on 5 May 2003, in El Palmar, Murcia, Spain, to parents Carlos Alcaraz González and Virginia Garfia Escandón. Alcaraz has one older brother, Álvaro, and two younger brothers, Sergio and Jaime.[4]
Alcaraz started playing tennis at the age of four at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia, where his father was a tennis coach and club administrator.[5] His mother worked as a sales assistant at IKEA.[6] Alcaraz's father had played tennis but stopped as a teenager as he could not afford to continue.[7][8]
Alcaraz was discovered as an eleven-year old by Albert Molina, who convinced IMG to sign him and eventually introduced him to future coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.[9]
Alcaraz is frequently accompanied to tournaments by his father and by his brother Álvaro, who works as his hitting partner. During the tennis off-season, he splits his time between his parents' home in Murcia and his training centre in nearby Villena.[10] His friends and family call him "Carlitos" or "Charly".[11]
Career
2018–2020: Pro debut
In February 2018, aged 14, Alcaraz played his first professional tennis event as a qualifier at the Spain F5 ITF Futures in Murcia. He knocked out second seed and world No. 292 Federico Gaio in the first round, and proceeded to reach the quarterfinals. He collected his first two ATP points from this tournament, and entered the rankings as world No. 1414 on 26 February 2018.[12]
In April 2019, at the age of 15, Alcaraz made his Challenger debut at the JC Ferrero Challenger in Villena, after receiving a wild card. He won his first round match against a 17-year old Jannik Sinner, who was on a sixteen-match winning streak.[13] With this victory, Alcaraz became the first player born in 2003 to win a Challenger match.[14] He was defeated in three sets by eighth seed Lukáš Rosol in the second round. Alcaraz went on to win four Challenger titles, three of them before the age of 18. He was the first player born in 2003 to reach a Challenger title match.[15]
In February 2020, at the age of 16, Alcaraz made his ATP main-draw debut at the Rio Open after receiving a wild card for the singles main draw.[16] He defeated world No. 41 Albert Ramos Viñolas in a marathon three-setter that lasted three hours and 37 minutes.[17] Alcaraz became the first player born in 2003 to win an ATP Tour match, and also achieved this feat before anyone born in 2002.[18][19] He was defeated in the second round by Federico Coria.
In September 2020, aged 17, Alcaraz played his first qualifying round at a major tournament at the postponed French Open. He held two match points to defeat Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets, but ended up losing in three.[20]
Alcaraz made his debut in the main draw of a major tournament as a successful qualifier at the 2021 Australian Open. He was the youngest man to qualify for the tournament since Novak Djokovic in 2005.[21] As the main draw of the Australian Open was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alcaraz played the Great Ocean Road Open in early February, where he was defeated by Thiago Monteiro.[22] In his first main draw match at the Australian Open, Alcaraz defeated fellow qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. He was the only teenager in the draw to progress past the first round, and the first person born in 2003 to win a match at a major.[21] In the second round, Alcaraz was defeated by Mikail Ymer.
Alcaraz was handed another wildcard at the Madrid Open, the second Masters-level tournament of his career. He defeated Adrian Mannarino in the first round in straight sets, bagelling him in the second set. This made Alcaraz the youngest match winner in the tournament's history, breaking a record set by Rafael Nadal in 2004. He then met Nadal for their first career meeting, and lost to him in two sets.[30] This was the day of Alcaraz's eighteenth birthday.[31] Alcaraz entered the Challenger Oeiras III as an unseeded player. He defeated Facundo Bagnis in the final to claim the fourth Challenger title of his career.[32][33] Following this tournament, he rose from 114th to 94th in the rankings to enter the top 100 on 24 May 2021. He became the youngest player inside the ATP top 100, as well as the youngest inside the top 500.[34][35]
Alcaraz qualified for the French Open with ease and made it to the third round of the main draw, where he was defeated by Jan-Lennard Struff. He was the youngest man to reach the third round at Roland Garros in twenty nine years, and the youngest to do so at any major since Nadal in 2004.[36] Alcaraz then made his debut at Wimbledon, where he received a wildcard. In his first ATP match on grass, he defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama in the first five-set match of his career.[35] He was defeated in the second round in straight sets by world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev.[37]
At the US Open, Alcaraz defeated world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a fifth-set tiebreak to reach the fourth round in the biggest win of his career at that time.[43] At 18 years and four months, Alcaraz became the youngest man to beat a top 3 ranked-player in singles at the US Open since the ATP rankings began in 1973. Alcaraz also became the youngest man in a major fourth round since 17-year-old Andrei Medvedev at the 1992 French Open, and the youngest man in the US Open fourth round since 17-year-old Michael Chang and 18-year-old Pete Sampras in 1989.[44][45] He then reached the quarterfinals by defeating qualifier Peter Gojowczyk. Alcaraz became the youngest US Open men's quarterfinalist in the Open Era, the youngest at the tournament since 18-year-old Thomaz Koch in 1963, and the youngest Grand Slam tournament men's singles quarterfinalist since 18-year-old Michael Chang at the 1990 French Open. He lost to Félix Auger-Aliassime via retirement in the second set in the quarterfinals after injuring his leg.[46]
Alcaraz played Indian Wells, which had been postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was his first time being seeded (30th) at a Masters event. He lost in the first round to Andy Murray in three sets.[47] Alcaraz then entered the Vienna Open. In the second round, he met Andy Murray for a rematch and defeated him in straight sets.[48] Alcaraz then defeated world No. 7 Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinal to claim a second top 10 win, and became the youngest player in the top 35 on 1 November. He lost to Alexander Zverev in the semifinal.[49][50] At the Paris Masters, Alcaraz defeated Pierre Hughes-Herbert in three thrilling sets in the first round.[51] Alcaraz then recorded a straight sets victory against eighth seed Jannik Sinner in their first ATP meeting.[52] This was his third top 10 win.[53] In the round of 16, Alcaraz was unable to cope with a raucous home crowd backing Frenchman Hugo Gaston and lost in straight sets.[54]
Alcaraz qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals as third seed behind Sinner and Auger-Aliassime, but became first seed after they both withdrew before the tournament started. He defeated Brandon Nakashima, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, and Holger Rune in the round-robin stage to qualify for the semifinals.[55][56] He then defeated Sebastián Báez and Sebastian Korda to claim the title.[57][58] He dropped one set all tournament, to Cerúndolo.[59] He would qualify to play the tournament again in 2022 and 2023, but did not play it in either year as he would also qualify for the ATP Finals.
Seeded for the first time in a major as world No. 31, Alcaraz reached the third round of the Australian Open, where he was defeated in a fifth set tiebreak by Matteo Berrettini.[60] As of July 2025, this remains the only five-set loss of his career.[61] Seeded seventh at the Rio Open, Alcaraz won his first ATP 500 title by defeating Diego Schwartzman in the final.[62] He became the youngest winner of an ATP 500 event since the category was created in 2009.[63] He entered the top 20 in the singles rankings on 21 February 2022.
In Indian Wells, Alcaraz reached his first ATP 1000 quarterfinal and semifinal, defeating defending champion Cameron Norrie before losing to Rafael Nadal.[64] Seeded 14th at the Miami Open, Alcaraz defeated 6th seed Casper Ruud to win his first ATP 1000 title. He was the first Spaniard to win the title. At 18 years and 333 days old, he also became the youngest men's singles titlist in Miami Open history, and the youngest Masters 1000 champion since Rafael Nadal at the 2005 Monte Carlo Masters.[65]
At the Monte-Carlo Masters, Alcaraz lost in the second round to Sebastian Korda.[66] At the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz defeated top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals to enter the world top 10 for the first time on 25 April 2022.[67][68] He became the 20th teenager to break into the top-10 since rankings were established in 1973, and the youngest since Rafael Nadal on 25 April 2005, exactly 17 years earlier.[69][70] Alcaraz later defeated Pablo Carreño Busta to win the title.[71]
Alcaraz then entered the Madrid Open. A day after his 19th birthday, he defeated 5-time Madrid champion, world No. 4 and third seed Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.[72] This was Alcaraz's first victory against Nadal, and their final tour meeting. The following day, Alcaraz faced world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in their first ATP meeting. After three hours and thirty-six minutes, Alcaraz prevailed in a tight third set tiebreak (6–7(5–7), 7–5, 7–6(7–5)). He became the youngest player to win a match against a world No. 1 since 17-year-old Nadal defeated No. 1 Roger Federer at the Miami Open in 2004, and the only player ever to defeat Nadal and Djokovic back-to-back on clay.[73] In the final, Alcaraz dismantled defending champion and world No. 3 Alexander Zverev in an hour and four minutes.[74] He became the youngest champion in the tournament's history at just 19years, 3days.[75] Alcaraz then climbed to a career-high of world No. 6 in the rankings on 9 May 2022.[76]
Following his withdrawal from the Italian Open due to an ankle injury,[77] Alcaraz made his seeded debut at the French Open as world No. 6. Having won two of the tour's biggest titles on clay coming into the tournament, Alcaraz was widely projected to be one of the favorites for the title.[78] In his second round match against Albert Ramos Viñolas, he was taken to five sets and forced to save match point.[79][80] He won all his other matches in straight sets before losing to Alexander Zverev in the second major quarterfinal of his career.[81][82][83]
At Wimbledon, Alcaraz beat Jan-Lennard Struff in a close five-setter before defeating Tallon Griekspoor and Oscar Otte in straight sets. He lost to Jannik Sinner in the fourth round.[84] Alcaraz then reached the final of the Hamburg Open, where he was defeated by Lorenzo Musetti. This was the first ATP final he had lost in his career.[85] Nevertheless, this result took him to a new career-high ranking of world No. 5 on July 25; he became the youngest male player to enter the top 5 since Nadal in 2005.[86][87] Alcaraz reached and lost a second consecutive final at the Croatia Open, to Jannik Sinner. This resulted in another new career-high ranking of world No. 4 on 1 August.[88][89]
Playing the Canadian Open for the first time in his career, Alcaraz received a bye into the second round, where he lost in an upset to Tommy Paul.[90] He reached the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open, where he lost to Cameron Norrie.[91]
Alcaraz then entered the US Open for the second time in his career. Prior to the tournament, Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas were all in contention to take over the World No. 1 singles ranking. Alcaraz made it through the first three rounds without dropping a set. In the fourth round, he defeated former champion Marin Čilić in five sets, and became the youngest man to reach back-to-back US Open quarterfinals in the Open Era.[92] In the quarterfinals, Alcaraz saved a match point in the fourth set before recovering to win in five sets against Jannik Sinner. The match lasted five hours and fifteen minutes, and recorded the latest finish in the history of the tournament at 2:50AM EST.[93] Alcaraz played a third consecutive five-setter in the semifinals to defeat Frances Tiafoe.[94] He then faced 5th seed Casper Ruud, in a final where both players were in contention for the world No. 1 ranking. Alcaraz won the match in four sets to claim his first major title.
Alcaraz became the youngest No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings at the age of 19years, 130days, breaking Lleyton Hewitt's record, and the second youngest all-time behind Lew Hoad.[95][96][97] He also became the youngest men's major champion since Nadal at the 2005 French Open, the youngest US Open champion since Pete Sampras in 1990, and the first man born in the 2000s to win a major singles title. At 23 hours and 39 minutes of play duration across his seven matches, Alcaraz spent the longest time on court in major history (a record later broken by Medvedev at the 2024 Australian Open, 24 hours 17 minutes).[98]
In his first match as world No. 1, Alcaraz lost his singles match at the 2022 Davis Cup Finals to Félix Auger-Aliassime.[99] Next, he lost to David Goffin in the first round of the Astana Open. Alcaraz reached the semifinals in Basel, where he was defeated again by eventual champion Auger-Aliassime.[100] Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters, but retired down a set to Holger Rune.[101] A day later, he announced he had suffered an abdominal tear requiring a six-week layoff, forcing him to end his season early. He withdrew from the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals.[102] Alcaraz, at the age of 19 years and 214 days, ended the year as youngest and first teenage world No. 1 in the ATP era, and second youngest of all-time behind Hoad.[97][103]
On January 7, Alcaraz announced his withdrawal from the Australian Open due to a hamstring injury he suffered in his right leg while training.[104] Following the tournament, he lost the world No. 1 ranking to the champion Novak Djokovic.[105] He had held the ranking for a total of 20 weeks.
Alcaraz made his season debut in the Argentina Open, where he was playing for the first time. He defeated second seed Cameron Norrie in the final in straight sets to claim his first title since his first major win at the US Open in 2022.[106] The next week, Alcaraz reached the final of the Rio Open, where he was defending champion, also against Norrie; however, he aggravated his leg injury during the match and lost in three sets.[107] Alcaraz withdrew from the Mexican Open, citing the same injury.[108]
Alcaraz then returned to Indian Wells. He recorded his 100th career win by defeating 31st seed Tallon Griekspoor in the third round, making him the second fastest player to reach this milestone after John McEnroe.[109] He defeated eleventh seed Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, and second seed Daniil Medvedev in the final, to lift the trophy without dropping a single set.[110] This was Alcaraz's eighth career title and third ATP 1000 title. He broke Medvedev's 19-match winning streak, and became the first player to win Indian Wells without dropping a set since Roger Federer in 2017. He also became the ninth and youngest man to win both legs of the Sunshine Double. As a result, he regained the world No. 1 ranking on 20 March 2023.[111]
Alcaraz hoped to complete the Sunshine Double in Miami, where he was the defending champion. He reached the semifinals without dropping a set, where he lost to Jannik Sinner in three sets.[112] With the loss of his title points, Alcaraz dropped back to No. 2 in the world rankings.[113]
Alcaraz was scheduled to play at the Monte-Carlo Masters the following week, but withdrew due to post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and muscular discomfort in his spine.[114] He began the European clay court swing at the Barcelona Open; defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final, he successfully defended his title without dropping a set.[115] He won his tenth career title at the Madrid Open again as the defending champion, defeating lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff.[116] At the next clay court tournament, the Italian Open, Alcaraz clinched the No. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic just by playing his second round match. However, he was upset in the third round by the world No. 135 Fabian Marozsan in straight sets, in what Jon Wertheim labelled the biggest upset of the year.[117][118]
Alcaraz only dropped one set before the semifinals of Roland-Garros, where he met Novak Djokovic for their second career meeting. This was a highly anticipated showdown, as the two men had not played a match in over a year despite their ongoing fight over the world No. 1 ranking.[119][120] The match was competitive until Alcaraz faltered at the start of the third set due to cramps from mental pressure and physical intensity; Djokovic won in four sets, going on to win the tournament and regain the No. 1 ranking.[121]
At the Queen's Club Championships, Alcaraz recorded his first title on grass in only his third career grass court tournament, beating Alex de Minaur in the final. This victory also restored him as world No. 1.[122] Despite relatively muted expectations for Alcaraz at Wimbledon, he only dropped two sets en route to the final. There he faced off against seven-time champion and four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz won the match, which lasted four hours and forty-two minutes, and was instantly acclaimed as a modern epic.[123] This was his first Wimbledon title, and his second major title overall.[124] Alcaraz became the only man outside the Big Four to claim the Wimbledon singles title since 2002, before he himself had been born.[125] With this win, Alcaraz became the second player, after Andy Murray, to defeat Djokovic in a Wimbledon final.[126] Additionally, Alcaraz became the first non-"Big 4" player to win Wimbledon since Lleyton Hewitt's victory in 2002.[125]
Alcaraz lost in the quarterfinals of Toronto to Tommy Paul.[127] He then met Djokovic again in the Cincinnati final. Alcaraz lost in three sets, despite having a championship point in the second-set tiebreak. It was the longest ever best-of-three-sets ATP Masters final and the longest match in the tournament's history, at 3 hours and 49 minutes; Djokovic praised it as "one of the toughest matches of [his] life".[128][129] Alcaraz entered the 2023 US Open as defending champion, and reached the semifinals having only dropped one set. However, he then lost to 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev in four sets.[130] Following the tournament, Alcaraz lost the No. 1 ranking once again to eventual champion Djokovic, who had not been defending any points.[131] He additionally withdrew from the Davis Cup Finals, citing tiredness.[132]
Alcaraz entered the autumn-winter hardcourt season with the goal of seizing the year-end No. 1 ranking.[133][134] However, he lost to Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of Beijing, and then to Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 16 at Shanghai.[135][136] He withdrew from Basel due to injury,[137] and lost in his opening round at the Paris Masters to Roman Safiullin.[138] At the ATP Finals in Turin, Alcaraz lost to Alexander Zverev in the round robin stage but defeated Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev to qualify for the semifinals, where he lost decisively to eventual champion Djokovic in straight sets.[139] Ultimately, Alcaraz ended the year ranked No. 2.[140]
Alcaraz began his 2024 campaign at Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals for the first time in his career.[141] He then lost to sixth seed Alexander Zverev in four sets.[142]
In February, Alcaraz entered the Argentina Open as the defending champion. He won his first two matches in straight sets before losing to Nicolás Jarry in the semifinal.[143][144] He retired from the Rio Open the following week two games into his opening match after twisting his right ankle.[145] He later announced that he had suffered a lateral sprain to his ankle, but said he would miss just "a few days" of training before Indian Wells.[145]
As defending champion in Indian Wells, Alcaraz came back into form. He dropped only one set, in his opening match against Matteo Arnaldi, to reach the semifinals.[146] He next faced Jannik Sinner for an eighth career meeting, and defeated him in three sets to end Sinner's 19-match winning streak.[147][148] Alcaraz then defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final, earning him his first title in eight months.[149] In Miami, where he aimed to complete the Sunshine Double, Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set.[150][151] However, he then lost to eventual finalist Grigor Dimitrov for a second consecutive time.[152] Following the tournament, he dropped to world No. 3 after being overtaken by Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz experienced a shaky clay season. He withdrew from the Monte–Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open, the latter as defending champion, due to a right forearm injury.[153][154] In Madrid, where he was also defending champion, Alcaraz lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Andrey Rublev.[155] He then withdrew from Rome due to the forearm injury.[155]
Alcaraz recovered in time to play the French Open in June. Despite some shaky early matches he reached the semi-final, where he defeated second seed Jannik Sinner in five sets to advance to his first Roland Garros final. His opponent there was fourth seed Alexander Zverev, whom Alcaraz defeated in five sets. At 21 years and 35 days, Alcaraz became the youngest male player in history to win a major title on three different surfaces, completing the career Surface Slam.[156][157]
In July, Alcaraz defended his Wimbledon title by defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets in a rematch of their 2023 final.[158][159] At 21 years and 70 days, Alcaraz became the youngest male player in the Open Era to complete the Channel Slam (winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season).[160]
Alcaraz then entered the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics in both doubles and singles. Partnering Rafael Nadal, he reached the quarterfinals in doubles. In singles, Alcaraz reached the final without dropping a set. However, in the gold medal match, he lost to Djokovic in straight sets.[161] He nonetheless became the youngest ever silver medalist in men's singles.
Alcaraz skipped the 2024 Canadian Open, citing fatigue. He played at the 2024 Cincinnati Open, but was upset by Gaël Monfils in the opening round.[162] This match marked the first time Alcaraz broke a racket on court, which generated significant media coverage and caused him to make a public apology.[163][164][165] He next played the 2024 US Open, suffering a shocking second-round defeat in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp, his earliest loss in a major since Wimbledon 2021.[166]
Alcaraz recovered his form by successfully competing in team events at the group stage of the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup exhibition. Afterwards, he defeated Jannik Sinner in the final of the China Open. This was Alcaraz's third encounter with Sinner in 2024, and his third victory, snapping Sinner's 15-match win streak.[167] With this win, Alcaraz reclaimed the world No. 2 ranking from Alexander Zverev.[168] He also became the first player in ATP Tour history to win an ATP 500 singles title on every surface – clay, grass and hard court.[169][170]
Alcaraz lost in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Shanghai Masters to Tomáš Macháč, and in the round of sixteen at the 2024 Paris Masters to Ugo Humbert.[171][172] He was reportedly unwell during the 2024 ATP Finals but did not withdraw, beating Andrey Rublev but losing to Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev in straight sets to exit the tournament in the round robin stage.[173] Alcaraz reunited with the Spanish Davis Cup team in Málaga for the quarterfinals. They were knocked out by the Netherlands, marking the end of Rafael Nadal's career.[174] Alcaraz became the first man to finish the year ranked as low as world No. 3 after winning two majors that season.
Alcaraz entered Indian Wells as the two-time defending champion.[180] He reached the semifinals, where he lost to 13th seed and eventual champion Jack Draper despite bagelling him in the second set. This was Alcaraz's first loss after the quarterfinal stage of a tournament in over a year, and snapped his sixteen-match winning streak at Indian Wells.[181] Alcaraz then lost his first match in Miami to David Goffin.[182]
Alcaraz next played the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti to lift the trophy, his second title of the season. He had previously never won a match at this tournament.[183] This was his sixth career Masters 1000 title. He reached the final of the Barcelona Open, where he lost to Holger Rune,[184] and then withdrew from the Madrid Open, with injuries to both legs.[185] Alcaraz then defeated world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in Rome to claim his first Italian Open title and his third in 2025. He became the third man to win every modern big title on clay (French Open, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome) after Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.[186]
Alcaraz met Sinner for a second consecutive tournament in the French Open final. Sinner held three championship points on Alcaraz's serve in the fourth set. Alcaraz held from 0-40 and came back to force a fifth set, which he claimed in a dominant super tiebreak. This would be his fifth final and fourth title of his 2025 season. At five hours and twenty-nine minutes, it was the longest French Open final of all time, and the second-longest major final of all time, only behind the 2012 Australian Open final.[187][188] It was only the second time Alcaraz had lost the first two sets, but this was the first time Alcaraz had ever come back from two sets to love down.[189] Some journalists called it the best performance of his career to date.[188][190][191]
Alcaraz began his grass season at the Queen's Club Championships. His semifinal win against Roberto Bautista Agut was his 250th ATP victory; he became the third-fastest man to achieve this milestone in the Open Era.[192] Alcaraz defeated Jiří Lehečka in the final to claim his third consecutive tournament title, and fifth title of the season.[193] This was his third title on this surface in only 7 grass court tournaments played in his career.
In the first round of Wimbledon, Alcaraz was unexpectedly taken to five sets by Fabio Fognini, who had already announced his retirement and had not won a match all season.[194] Alcaraz dropped a set each to Jan-Lennard Struff, Andrey Rublev, and Taylor Fritz, but ultimately was able to reach his sixth consecutive final. He lost to Jannik Sinner in four sets, his first loss in a slam final and his first loss to Sinner since 2023. This also ended Alcaraz's 24-match win streak, the longest of his career.
Alcaraz reached his seventh consecutive final, and eighth in 2025, at the Cincinnati Open, where he once again faced Jannik Sinner. Sinner struggled physically, and retired while Alcaraz was leading 5-0 in the first set. Alcaraz therefore claimed his sixth title of the season.[195] Alcaraz improved his record to 9–5 versus Sinner, including a 6–2 record on hard courts.
At the US Open, Alcaraz swept through the first six rounds of singles competition, bagelling both Mattia Bellucci and Luciano Darderi on the way.[196] In the semifinal, Alcaraz recorded his first win over Novak Djokovic on hardcourt.[197] Alcaraz reached the final without dropping a single set, the first man to do so at the US Open since Federer in 2015.[198] This was his eighth consecutive tour-level final, and for a third consecutive slam final, he faced Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz defeated him in four sets, claiming his sixth major. He became the fourth and youngest man in the Open Era to win multiple slam titles on each surface, breaking Mats Wilander's record.[199] With this victory, Alcaraz also regained the world No. 1 ranking for the first time in two years.[200]
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have faced each other 15 times on the ATP Tour, with Alcaraz leading 10–5.[201] Notable early matches include the 2022 US Open quarterfinal, which Alcaraz won en route to the title in five sets after saving a match point.[202]
The pair met three times in 2024, with Alcaraz winning all three matches: a semifinal at Indian Wells, where Alcaraz claimed the title; a semifinal at Roland Garros, where Alcaraz claimed the title; and the final of the China Open.[170] At three hours and twenty-one minutes, it was the longest match in the history of the tournament.[203] Sinner lost as many matches to Alcaraz in 2024 as he did to all other players on tour combined.
In 2025, Alcaraz and Sinner met for three consecutive slam finals. The two squared up for their first major final at the French Open, where Alcaraz was defending champion. In the fourth set, Sinner held three championship points on Alcaraz's serve. Alcaraz held from 0-40 and forced a fifth set, which he eventually claimed in a dominant tiebreak. This was Alcaraz's fifth consecutive win over Sinner. At five hours and twenty-nine minutes, it was the longest-ever French Open final.[188]The Guardian acclaimed it as "one of the greatest finals ever played, in any sport."[204] They met for a rematch at Wimbledon, where Sinner won in four sets, dethroning two-time defending champion Alcaraz and snapping his 24-match win streak. Finally, they met at the US Open, where Alcaraz dethroned defending champion Sinner in four sets to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking.[200] They therefore split the season's slams 2-2 for a second consecutive year.
Alcaraz and Sinner have also played two Masters finals in 2025. Alcaraz won their first big final at the Italian Open in straight sets, snapping Sinner's 26-match win streak.[205] Alcaraz also claimed victory in their first big hard court final at the Cincinnati Open, following Sinner's retirement due to illness.[195]
Their rivalry has been described as "potentially era-defining".[206]
Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic after the 2023 Wimbledon final
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have faced off nine times; despite a 16-year age gap, their rivalry has remained remarkably competitive, with Alcaraz trailing 4–5.
Their first meeting was at the 2022 Madrid Open semifinals, where Alcaraz prevailed in a deciding set tiebreaker, becoming the first and only man to secure back-to-back victories against Nadal and Djokovic on clay. Their next meeting came over a year later in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, a highly anticipated showdown promoted by media and the ATP itself.[119][120][207][208] Djokovic won in four sets, with the match competitive until Alcaraz faltered at the start of the third set due to cramps.[121]
The duo would meet again soon after in the 2023 Wimbledon final, in which Alcaraz would defeat Djokovic in an epic five-setter that lasted 4 hours and 42 minutes, ending his hopes for a Grand Slam.[123] One month later, they fought another epic at the 2023 Cincinnati Open final, with Djokovic prevailing in three tightly contested sets after saving a championship point. The match was the longest best-of-three-sets ATP Tour final and the longest match in the tournament's history, at 3 hours and 49 minutes, and was immediately heralded as one of the best matches ever.[209][210] They then played a relatively uncompetitive match at the ATP Finals, where Djokovic overpowered Alcaraz in straight sets.[211]
Djokovic and Alcaraz met twice in the summer of 2024, both in high-profile finals. On July 14, Alcaraz cruised to victory in straight sets against Djokovic in a rematch of the previous year's Wimbledon final. Three weeks later, on August 4, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz in the Olympics final on Court Philippe Chatrier. Neither player was broken on serve across two sets, with Djokovic winning both tiebreaks.[212] Journalist Steve Flink called it "the best two-set match I have ever seen".[213]Tennis.com listed it as its ATP match of the year for 2024.[214]
Djokovic and Alcaraz have met twice so far in 2025. In the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, Djokovic prevailed in four sets to retain his unbeaten record against Alcaraz on hardcourt and deny his hopes of achieving the Career Grand Slam.[177] They met for a rematch in the semifinals of the US Open, where Alcaraz took revenge in straight sets to record his first win over Djokovic on hardcourt.[215] Tickets to the match were the most expensive in US Open history.[216] With this match, Alcaraz and Djokovic completed a set of meetings at each of the four majors, something that the Federer-Nadal rivalry never achieved.[217]
Playing style
Alcaraz is an all-court tennis player, but primarily employs an aggressive baseline style of play. His straight armed forehand is typically his most potent shot: he can either hit it flat and fast for winners from every court position, or add a great amount of topspin and margin over the net. He plays with a flatter and lower net-clearance two-handed backhand. Due to his aggression, Alcaraz typically generates a high count of both winners and unforced errors off his groundstrokes, particularly his forehand.
Alcaraz has a powerful first serve for his height; commonly around 115 to 120mph and as high as 135mph, but hit with average placement.[218][219] Alcaraz often adds topspin to his second serve in order to generate a high bounce, which either pushes his opponents back or forces a weak return. This serve typically reaches 150 to 170km/h (93 to 106mph).[220] Due mostly to its lack of targeted placement, Alcaraz's serve is often described as a relative weak spot in his game.[221] He is elite as a returner, particularly of first serves. In 2024, he won nearly a third of his opponents' service games.[222]
Alcaraz has an impressive net-game with excellent drop volleys and drive volleys, and frequently serves-and-volleys on crucial points.[223] His greatly disguised drop shot is key to his game. The heaviness of his groundstrokes pushes his opponents to the back of the court, which then makes his drop shots difficult to reach. His slight preference for forehand over backhand drop shots has been noted as unusual.[224]Andy Roddick has said that the Alcaraz drop shot is "the best in the history of tennis".[225] Some players and commentators have credited Alcaraz as responsible for rising drop shot usage across both professional tours in recent years.[226][227]
Alcaraz has earned acclaim for his athletic and physical traits. In particular, his direct sprints, counterattacking abilities, and an extremely high peak footspeed have garnered him comparisons to Rafael Nadal. He has been compared to Novak Djokovic for his assured lateral movement and court-coverage, aided by physical splits and sliding through the court on defense, particularly on the backhand side. Like Roger Federer, exceptional touch has also been crucial in his success.[228][229] Djokovic has said Alcaraz combines "the best of all three worlds" from his game, Federer's, and Nadal's.[230]
Alcaraz is notable for his remarkable 14–1 record in five-set matches, giving him the highest success rate of all time at 93.3%. He has not lost a match in five sets since the 2022 Australian Open, when he was eighteen years old.[231] His losses come more frequently in shorter matches, particularly in the best-of-three format. He has often been criticised for a lack of consistency, across matches and across seasons.[232] Alcaraz himself claims he is unable to play well without enjoying himself on court.[233]
Alcaraz is frequently lauded for his on-court creativity and showmanship.[234][235] He has been described many times as a "human highlight reel".[236][237][238] In 2023, he said, "Obviously, I want to win every match that I play, but at the same time, I want to have fun, try different things, make the people enjoy watching tennis and watching my matches. Sometimes I talk to myself about what is most important: if I win or doing great things."[239]
Coaches and team
Alcaraz's childhood coach was Kiko Navarro.[240] In September 2018, Alcaraz moved to Villena to begin training at the Ferrero Tennis Academy.[241][240] Ferrero turned down several coaching requests from top players in order to coach a teenage Alcaraz.[242][243] Their partnership has been widely praised: Ferrero won the ATP Coach of the Year Award in 2022. In 2023, Alcaraz said he considered Ferrero a "second father".[244]
In December 2024 it was announced that Samuel López, a former member of Ferrero's own coaching team, would be joining Alcaraz's team to work under Ferrero as a second coach.[245]
Alcaraz has maintained largely the same staff since he arrived on tour. His team includes physical trainer Alberto Lledó, physiotherapist Juanjo Moreno, doctor Juanjo López, agent Albert Molina, and his brother Álvaro as hitting partner.[246] In 2025, he appointed childhood friend Fran Rubio as an additional physiotherapist.[247] Alcaraz has also worked with sports psychologist Isabel Balaguer since 2020.[248]
Off the court
Endorsements
Alcaraz is sponsored by Nike for clothing and shoes, and by Babolat for racquets.[249] He plays with the Babolat Pure Aero 98 racquet, with RPM Team strings.[250] In January 2022, Alcaraz became a brand ambassador for Rolex.[251][252] In January 2023, he starred in American clothing brand Calvin Klein's 1996 underwear campaign.[253] In June 2023, he became a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton.[254] Alcaraz is also a brand ambassador for Brazilian bank Itaú, Spanish dermocosmetics company Isdin, Spanish food company ElPozo, and German automobile manufacturer BMW under their BMW Spain division.[255][256][257][258]
In June 2025, Alcaraz became an ambassador for multinational food company Danone. The same month, he was announced as an ambassador for French mineral water brand Evian, which is owned by Danone.[259][260] In July 2025, he was announced as the brand ambassador for YoPRO, a high protein yoghurt brand also under Danone's portfolio, and its sister brand Oikos.[261][262]
In August 2025, Sportico estimated that Alcaraz earned more money via endorsements than any other active tennis player.[263]Forbes estimated he was the highest-paid active tennis player, combining endorsements and prize money, for the second year running.[264][265]
In the media and popular culture
Alcaraz made appearances in both seasons of Netflix's Break Point docuseries,[266] and played against Rafael Nadal in The Netflix Slam, a live-streamed tennis match hosted by MGM Resorts International on March 3, 2024.[267] Alcaraz was the subject of the Netflix show Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, which documented his 2024 season and was released April 23, 2025.[268] The three-part series focused on conflict between Alcaraz and his team as he attempted to balance his ambition to make tennis history with the normal life of a 21-year-old. It included appearances by Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Garbiñe Muguruza, Martina Navratilova, Andre Agassi, Björn Borg, and John McEnroe alongside other tennis greats.[269]
In April 2025, Barney Ronay for The Guardian described Alcaraz as "arguably the most interesting athlete in the world right now".[270] He is known for his signature wide smile and charisma on the court.[271][272][273] He has also received significant media attention off the court for his personal life, particularly his annual trips to Ibiza.[274][275][276] His mixed doubles partnership with Emma Raducanu at the 2025 US Open caused a media frenzy due to speculation about their personal relationship.[277][278][279]
In 2024, a media controversy arose when Alcaraz publicly broke a racket for the first time during a match in Cincinnati.[280] He afterwards delivered a public apology.[165] Alcaraz is also known for his willingness to discuss mental health with the media. After his loss in the 2024 US Open, he stated, "I've taken steps backwards, like I'm not doing well mentally, I'm not strong. I don't know how to control myself when faced with problems and I don't know how to handle it."[281] Following a loss at Indian Wells in 2025, he admitted to having felt "nervous the whole day", and following a win in Monte Carlo a month later, that he had been "struggling stepping on the court" and had considered taking an extended break from tennis.[282][283] Various commentators, including Andy Roddick, Boris Becker, and Andrea Petkovic, have highlighted his unusual candidness about mental health.[284][285][286]
Alcaraz has often advocated for professional tennis players' welfare. In 2024, he spoke out several times against the length of the tennis calendar, stressing the frequency of injuries and joking that "probably they are going to kill us in some way".[287][288] In 2025, he supported fellow Spanish player Sara Sorribes Tormo's decision to take a break from the sport for her health.[289] He also joined a letter signed by nineteen other top men's and women's tennis players asking that the four major tournaments distribute a greater share of their revenue to all competing players.[290]
Alcaraz has often been compared to his compatriot Rafael Nadal, particularly in their native Spain. As a teenager, he was dubbed "baby Rafa" or "young Nadal".[291] However, he and Nadal have both dismissed these comparisons at length.[292][293]
In April 2024, Alcaraz announced the launch of the Carlos Alcaraz Garfia Foundation, with the aim of improving the lives of disadvantaged children. It is headquartered in El Palmar and operates in partnership with local schools.[295][296] Alcaraz's foundation provided buses to transport volunteers after the flash floods in Valencia in 2024, during which Alcaraz and Ferrero also ran a charity auction to raise funds for those affected.[297] On December 12, 2024, Alcaraz inaugurated his foundation's exhibition "Los Pies en la Tierra" in Murcia, highlighting the importance of equal opportunities for children.[298]
Involvement in other sports
Alcaraz is a football fan who supports the Spanish club Real Madrid.[299] He is known for his vocal support of many other Spanish athletes, including Formula One driver Fernando Alonso and Georgian-Spanish MMA fighter Ilia Topuria.[300][301] Alcaraz is also a keen player of golf and of chess. In 2023, Chess.com created a dedicated Carlos Alcaraz bot that any user can challenge virtually on the platform.[302]
World No. 1 12 September 2022 – 29 January 2023 20 March 2023 – 2 April 2023 22 May 2023 – 11 June 2023 26 June 2023 – 10 September 2023 8 September 2025 –
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Spain
