Alcaraz, A Friend To All On Tour: ‘He’s A Better Person Than He Is A Tennis Player’

This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es.

The noise surrounding Carlos Alcaraz at any ATP Tour tournament is always deafening, but not only among his fans while he competes, practises or moves around the venue. When he returns to the private areas such as the locker rooms and the players’ lounge it is also difficult for him to find silence.

He is inundated with congratulatory messages wherever he goes, exclamations of surprise merely at his presence, people asking for autographs and photos – even with players –, and those who want to engage him in conversation. And yet, he treats everyone as a friend. Amid all the hubbub, it is easy to hear his polite greetings for anyone who crosses his path.

“I try to be friendly, warm, get on with everyone. It’s more important to be a good person than anything else. At the end of my career I’d like people to remember me, more than as a tennis player, as someone with good values. At the end of the day, you only spend a few hours a day on court, the rest of your life you’re off it. That’s why at those times I also try to use the manners that my parents taught me,” explains the recent Wimbledon champion.

Judging by the opinions of some of his peers, it looks like he is achieving his goal. “As a tennis player, there is no doubt,” says Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis of Alcaraz, whom he has known since they crossed paths on the ATP Challenger Tour. “But I think he is an even better person. He’s so good and well mannered… In the end, that’s what matters.”

Plenty of other players are in agreement.

“He’s a 10 out of 10 guy, really funny and nice,” says Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena. “He wishes you luck whenever you play, he asks you how you are, speaks to you normally. It’s incredible that he’s at such a high level and wins such big tournaments, and that he’s so normal. He’s still the same as when I met him many years ago training together in Spain.”

Alcaraz’s humility and spontaneity with his fans and in front of the cameras and the press is also clear to many of his fellow players. But his upbringing is not the only reason for his off-court behaviour. His closeness with Juan Carlos Ferrero is also a factor. The former-World No. 1 plays a huge role in keeping his charge’s feet firmly on the ground and ensuring he doesn’t forget his roots.

“He’s a charming and humble kid. His coach is doing a phenomenal job of guiding him in that regard because he’s been through the same thing. I’m so happy that everything is going so well for them,” said Roberto Bautista Agut.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina agrees: “They’ve brought him up with great values, but having an ex-world No. 1 like Juanki as a coach is also an advantage for him, because he helps him by telling him how to progress and how to act.”

Alcaraz might be in a hurry to leave a tournament venue, in the zone as he waits to enter Centre Court, or angry as he leaves it after a defeat… but even during those tense moments he is happy to have a friendly interaction with others.

“There are players who get more serious in competition, and off court they are distant. I’m the opposite, I try to get on with everyone,” Alcaraz said. “At the end of the day, they are people I’ll spend the whole year with. Not getting along with those people is no use at all.

It’s no coincidence then that his biggest rivals are some of his best friends on tour. Such is the case of Jannik Sinner. After losing to the Italian in the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami last March, the Spaniard wished him luck for the final. “Go for it, I’ll cheer for you,” he said to him with a smile as they shook hands.

His charisma is so evident in the locker room that even some of his victims, still reeling from defeat, are partly happy for Carlitos. This was visible in the first season of Netflix series Break Point, when Frances Tiafoe sought out the Spaniard after losing to him in the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open. “You’re going to be the world No. 1. You deserve it,” the American told him as they embraced.

His character, combined with his premature success, make him a magnetic personality for many, including other stars of the game. Horacio Zeballos, for example, was one of those that asked him for a photo after his successful participation at Wimbledon.

“Thanks for your customary humility,” the Argentine said in his Instagram post of his photo with the No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Ranking. “You’re the best!”, Alcaraz replied.

It seems that the more success he has on court, the more approachable and human he becomes off it. An anecdote from Bagnis is proof of that.

“I once asked him for a birthday video for a friend”, remembers Bagnis. “He could have told me no, ignored me or told me what day to do it on. But he responded by asking me when I had time so we could do it. I thought that was really something.

“He was doing me a favour and ended up considering my availability. It’s amazing that someone so important and so good is still so friendly, well-mannered and correct.”

It is no coincidence Alcaraz is one of the best-loved players among the fans, his peers and tennis lovers in general. However, his success on court is only a minor reason for his popularity.