At a tender age of 21, tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz has already made a name for himself in the sporting world. Despite his fast-rising fame, he remains grounded, attributing his humility to his humble beginnings. Always sporting a grin, he delights his audience with his impressive skill set on the tennis court, a philosophy he has upheld since turning pro in 2018. Within a mere six years, Alcaraz has incredibly ascended to become the youngest ATP No.1 and bagged four Slams concurrently. While such early success could be a distraction for many, Alcaraz seems to be in a league of his own. So, how does he manage this skyrocketing popularity?
Despite his prodigious talent, Alcaraz’s 2025 season hasn’t been smooth sailing. His performance at the Australian Open showed promise, but he was knocked out by 24-time Major winner Novak Djokovic at the quarterfinals stage. Djokovic dashed Alcaraz’s hopes of becoming the youngest player to complete a Career Slam by defeating him 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. However, Alcaraz bounced back swiftly, clinching his first indoor hard title at the ATP Rotterdam by defeating Andrey Rublev. Unfortunately, he was unable to maintain this winning streak, and was eliminated in the Doha quarterfinals by Jiri Lehecka who defeated him 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
In a candid interview with El Nuevo Dia ahead of the Battle of Legends charity event in Puerto Rico, Alcaraz revealed his perspective on dealing with fame. He stressed the importance of remaining true to oneself and credited his family and close circle for always guiding him. A previous report from Daily Mail in December 2024 quotes Alcaraz stating his contentment with his middle-class upbringing and his commitment to accepting his fame as naturally as possible.
After his Puerto Rico stint, Alcaraz will focus his sights on Indian Wells, a tournament he holds close to his heart. Alcaraz boasts an impressive history at the BNP Paribas Open. In 2022, he made it to the semifinals where he was defeated by his idol, former ATP pro, Rafael Nadal. However, the following two years saw him emerge victoriously, defeating Daniil Medvedev on both occasions. This feat made Alcaraz the first ATP player to secure back-to-back Indian Wells titles since Novak Djokovic in 2015 and 2016.
In a March 2024 interview with CNN, Alcaraz shared that his recent victory was particularly special due to his overcoming an injury to clinch the title. Despite his struggles with an ankle problem that limited his training to 30-minute sessions, he was able to triumph, which he found incredibly satisfying.
Fresh from his first indoor hard-court title win in Rotterdam, Alcaraz is now preparing to clinch his second ATP title in 2025. With his first-round opponent yet to be determined, fans are eagerly anticipating whether the four-time Major winner will score a hat-trick at Indian Wells.
