Is Carlos Alcaraz really the next Rafael Nadal? Spain’s rising tennis star is already the world’s No 11 and a multimillionaire who has deals with Rolex and Nike – and he’s only 18
Carlos Alcaraz (born Carlos Alcaraz Garfia) is the current talk of the tennis world. The 18-year-old just won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open and he’s been a hot topic since.
The Spanish tennis player and 2021 Next Gen ATP winner turned pro in 2018 at age 15 and has been quick to advance to the top of the game, earning an estimated US$3.8 million in prize money, according to the ATP tour website.
Here’s everything we know about the star so far.
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The new Rafael Nadal?
“At 18 or 19, Rafa was already a Major winner, and it’s nice to hear that he compares me with him at that age,” Alcaraz is quoted as saying on Tennis World USA. Alcaraz met Nadal for the first time at a second-round encounter on his 18th birthday at the 2021 Madrid Open. On ATPTour.com, he describes playing against his idol as “a dream come true”.
“I think [Alcaraz] is unstoppable in terms of his career,” Nadal told Tennis Majors ahead of the pair’s second meeting on the court, at Indian Wells in March. “He has all the ingredients. He has the passion. He’s humble enough to work hard.” Following Alcaraz’s Miami Open title win, Nadal congratulated him via his Twitter account, writing, “The first of many to come, for sure!”
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A young achiever
Making headlines at such an early age, many are quick to refer to Alcaraz as “the next big thing”.
At age 16, Alcaraz made his ATP main draw debut at the Rio Open in 2020, coming in ranked 406th. The following year, he qualified for his first grand slam main draw at the Australian Open. Then, at the US Open, he upset world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in reaching his first grand slam quarter-final.
He won the Rio Open this year, making him the youngest ever ATP 500 champion. Keeping up his momentum, he achieved his first Masters 1000 title at the recently concluded Miami Open, moving further up the rankings to become world No 11.
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Sportsmanship and a good image
Tennis has always been regarded as a sport of grace and elegance, but it naturally has its fair share of tantrums and unexpected behaviour too. Already this year, even top players have made headlines for their code violations and unruly conduct.
On the contrary though, the teenage star recently made headlines for his sportsmanship. At the Miami Open semi-finals, Alcaraz’s opponent, defending champion Hubert Hurkacz, reached a drop shot only for the umpire to incorrectly rule that the ball had bounced twice. As Hurkacz questioned the call, Alcaraz intervened and conceded the point. Hurkacz thanked him for this gesture and fans applauded the sportsmanship.
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Alcaraz’s ranking, good image and burgeoning career has already landed him among the roster of tennis greats with luxury endorsements. He has joined top players such as Roger Federer in becoming an ambassador of Swiss watch brand Rolex and is also sponsored by Nike.
- Alcaraz’s idol is fellow Spaniard Nadal, one of the all-time greats, while he is now an ambassador with Rolex like another legend, Roger Federer
- At the US Open in 2021, he beat world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas, while this year he became the youngest ever ATP 500 champion and won his first Masters 1000 title at Miami