Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz – Spain's Tennis Superstar

Spanish tennis pro Carlos Alcaraz Garfia, to give him his full name, made his breakthrough on the ATP Tour in 2021. At just 18 years old, he had already achieved remarkable success, including a spectacular run to the quarter-finals at the US Open. Standing 1.85m tall, the right-hander with the two-handed backhand was born on 5 May 2003, in El Palmar in Spain's Murcia region, and started playing tennis at the tender age of four. Today, he's one of the biggest names in men's tennis, firmly established at the top of the world rankings with seven Grand Slam titles and more than 20 ATP titles to his name.

His father, also named Carlos, who was once among the top 40 players in the country himself, took his son under his wing right away and was by his side for his first steps on a tennis court. His mother, Virginia, along with his three brothers Alvaro, Sergio and Jaime, all played their part in helping the young talent become a successful tennis player. Much like his great idol Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz has a huge fighting spirit that never gives up. It's no surprise, then, that when asked about his favourite song, he names “Eye of the Tiger.” Alongside tennis, the young Spaniard is also a big fan of golf and football, with Real Madrid as his favourite team.

A Versatile Player with a Strong Attacking Instinct

In terms of overall approach, Carlos Alcaraz's playing style is often compared to that of Roger Federer. Like the “Maestro,” Alcaraz always plays with an attacking mindset, is extremely versatile, and consistently sends the ball over the net with superior control. His forehand — typical of his generation — is extremely explosive, yet remains precise and flexible. His backhand is reminiscent of that of his famous compatriot Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz is a master of the drop shot, and his lob is a feared secret weapon. He frequently comes to the net to close out points quickly and efficiently. Like Federer, he can shine on any surface, though — true to his Spanish roots — he feels most at home on clay.

Pro Debut and Early Success on the ATP Tour

His achievements as a junior were already impressive. In 2018, Carlos Alcaraz became U-16 European champion and played a key role in Spain winning the junior Davis Cup. That same year, he made his pro debut at just 15 years old, though he continued to play mainly on the junior tour or at Challenger events. His biggest junior Grand Slam achievement was reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon 2019. The following year, Alcaraz played in the main draw of an ATP tournament for the first time, thanks to a wildcard for the Rio Open — and he made the most of it immediately, beating fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos Viñolas in the first round.

His Major debut followed in January 2021. At just 17 years old, he was the youngest player in the Australian Open draw and made it straight through to the second round. Alcaraz received a wildcard for the Madrid Open and became the youngest ever match-winner at Spain's most important tennis tournament with his first-round win over Adrian Mannarino. In the second round, though, he had to bow out — of all days, on his 18th birthday — to fellow Spaniard and tennis legend Rafael Nadal. Shortly after, he won the Challenger tournament Open de Oeiras III, his most significant title to date. This success saw Carlos Alcaraz break into the ATP top 100 for the first time.

Breakthrough as a Professional

At the French Open, he reached the third round, and shortly after he claimed his first ATP Tour title. In the final of the Plava Laguna Open in Croatia, Carlos Alcaraz beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet, becoming the youngest ATP-level title winner since Kei Nishikori in 2008. The Spanish rising star truly caught the attention of the international tennis world with his blistering performances at the US Open in September 2021. After winning his first two matches, Alcaraz beat Greece's world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets in the third round.

After also winning his round-of-16 match, he became the youngest US Open quarter-finalist of the Open Era and the youngest Grand Slam quarter-finalist since Michael Chang's sensational run at the 1989 French Open. At the Vienna Open, he beat Matteo Berrettini, already his second top-10 win, and climbed into the ATP top 35 for the first time. Shortly after, he won the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan against top prospect Sebastian Korda.

From First Grand Slam Title to the Career Grand Slam

In 2022, Carlos Alcaraz pulled off his first truly major coup: in Miami, he claimed his first Masters title with a final win over Casper Ruud, making him the third-youngest Masters tournament winner ever, behind only Michael Chang and Rafael Nadal. With his subsequent triumph in Barcelona, Alcaraz also broke into the world's top 10 for the first time, becoming the youngest player in this elite group since Nadal. But the highlight of the year was still to come: at the US Open, the young Spaniard reached his first Grand Slam final after three dramatic five-set wins in a row, and once again triumphed over Casper Ruud in the final. With that win, he not only secured his first Grand Slam title but also became the youngest US Open champion since Pete Sampras in 1990, as well as the youngest world No. 1 in history.

In 2023, Alcaraz continued his triumphant run, winning his second Grand Slam title in the Wimbledon final — his opponent none other than Novak Djokovic. In 2024, the next major milestone followed: Alcaraz crowned himself the new king of the French Open, beating Alexander Zverev in the final to claim his third Grand Slam title. His dominance continued at Wimbledon, where he successfully defended his title, once again beating Djokovic. Against that very same opponent, however, Alcaraz came up short a few weeks later in the final of the Paris Olympics, having to settle for the silver medal.

In 2025, Alcaraz fought thrilling battles with his great rival Jannik Sinner: he won what was, at the time, the longest French Open final in history, had to accept revenge a month later in the Wimbledon final, and capped off the season with wins in Cincinnati and at the US Open — both against Sinner. That saw him return to the top of the world rankings and celebrate his fifth and sixth Grand Slam titles.

The 2026 season began for Alcaraz with a historic achievement: with his title win at the Australian Open against Novak Djokovic, he completed the career Grand Slam as the youngest player in history to do so. A wrist injury suffered later in the season temporarily slowed him down, but it did nothing to change his exceptional standing in men's tennis.

Carlos Alcaraz's Tennis Racket

Ever since his US Open title win in 2022, Carlos Alcaraz has relied on the Babolat Pure Aero 98 as his tennis racket — a model that, unlike the custom-built frames used by many other top pros, remains almost unchanged from the version available in stores. This control-oriented racket from the Pure Aero family stands out for its compact 98-square-inch head, a dense 16x20 string pattern, and built-in flax fibers that deliver an especially solid feel at contact. Combined with the aerodynamically shaped frame, the racket delivers the enormous racket-head speed that makes Alcaraz's explosive forehand and high spin levels possible in the first place.

For the 2025 season, Alcaraz made small, targeted adjustments to his racket: the unstrung weight now sits at 310 grams, the balance point at 31.6cm, and the swingweight at 295 — remaining unusually light compared to the frames used by almost all top pros. It's strung with Babolat RPM Blast, though Alcaraz has at times switched to the somewhat more arm-friendly RPM Team due to recurring arm issues; he typically strings the mains tighter than the crosses to generate extra spin. In 2023, Alcaraz extended his partnership with Babolat through at least 2030 — clear evidence of just how much he trusts his equipment supplier.

Carlos Alcaraz's Tennis Gear – Order Online at Tennis-Point!

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