Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz Garfia was born in El Palmar, Murcia, Spain, and began playing tennis at the age of four at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia. His father, Carlos Alcaraz González, was involved in tennis as a coach and club administrator, while his mother, Virginia Garfia Escandón, worked as a sales assistant at IKEA. Alcaraz has one older brother, Álvaro, and two younger brothers, Sergio and Jaime.

Alcaraz developed quickly through Spanish and European junior competition. He won the under-12 division of the Rafa Nadal Tour Masters in 2015, followed by the under-14 title in 2016. In 2017 and 2018 he won several important junior events, helped Spain win the 14-and-under European Summer Cup and played a key role in Spain's Junior Davis Cup title run. He reached a career-high junior ranking of No. 22.

In 2018, at age 15, Alcaraz moved to Villena to train at Juan Carlos Ferrero's Equelite academy. He also signed with IMG at age 12 after agent Albert Molina identified him as an exceptional prospect. His childhood nicknames include "Carlitos" and "Charly."

Alcaraz made his professional debut as a 14-year-old qualifier at an ITF Futures event in Murcia in 2018. He made his Challenger debut in 2019 and became the first player born in 2003 to win a Challenger match. In February 2020, aged 16, he made his ATP main-draw debut at the Rio Open, where he defeated Albert Ramos Viñolas in a three-hour, 37-minute first-round match.

His first ATP title came at the 2021 Croatia Open in Umag, making him the youngest ATP champion since 2008. That season also brought a quarterfinal appearance at the US Open, where he defeated world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set tiebreak and became the youngest US Open men's quarterfinalist in the Open Era. He also won the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Alcaraz's breakthrough year was 2022. He won titles in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid, defeating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open before beating Alexander Zverev in the final. He then won the US Open, defeating Casper Ruud, and became the youngest player in ATP history to reach world No. 1 at 19 years and 130 days.

He won his first Wimbledon title in 2023 by defeating Djokovic in a five-set final. In 2024, he won the French Open and successfully defended his Wimbledon title, becoming the youngest man to complete the Channel Slam. He also won an Olympic singles silver medal in Paris after losing the final to Djokovic.

In 2025, Alcaraz won the French Open after recovering from two sets down against Jannik Sinner in the longest final in Roland Garros history. He added the US Open title later that year and returned to world No. 1. In 2026, he won the Australian Open by defeating Djokovic, completing the career Grand Slam at 22 years and 272 days, the youngest male player to do so.

Jannik Sinner has become one of Alcaraz's defining rivals. Their matches have included the five-set 2022 US Open quarterfinal, the 2024 China Open final and three consecutive major finals in 2025. Alcaraz defeated Sinner in the 2025 French Open and US Open finals, while Sinner won their Wimbledon final. Their 2025 French Open meeting lasted five hours and 29 minutes and saw Alcaraz come back from two sets down after Sinner held three championship points.

Alcaraz's rivalry with Novak Djokovic has centered on the biggest tournaments in tennis. Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final and again in the 2024 Wimbledon final, while Djokovic won their 2023 French Open semifinal, 2023 Cincinnati final and 2024 Olympic final. Alcaraz recorded his first hard-court victory over Djokovic in the 2025 US Open semifinal before defeating him again in the 2026 Australian Open final.

Alexander Zverev is another significant opponent. Alcaraz defeated him in the 2024 French Open final after trailing by two sets to one, and overcame him in a five-hour, 27-minute semifinal at the 2026 Australian Open. Alcaraz also leads his tour-level head-to-head rivalry with Zverev.

Alcaraz is an all-court player whose game is built around aggressive baseline tennis, exceptional court coverage and rapid transitions from defense to attack. His straight-armed forehand can be struck flat and fast or hit with heavy topspin, while his lower, flatter two-handed backhand provides a complementary drive from the baseline.

His drop shot is one of his most recognizable weapons. Alcaraz uses the weight of his groundstrokes to push opponents deep before disguising a soft shot into the open court. He also possesses a strong net game, including drop volleys, drive volleys and occasional serve-and-volley plays.

Alcaraz is known for speed, direct sprints, sliding defense and counterattacking ability. His five-set record has been especially notable, with a 15-1 record cited in the tennis record. His style is also marked by creativity and showmanship, including a willingness to attempt unconventional shots while maintaining an emphasis on enjoyment and competitive energy.

Alcaraz's childhood coaches were Kiko Navarro and Carlos Santos. In 2018 he began training at the Ferrero Tennis Academy under Juan Carlos Ferrero, who became his personal coach in 2019. Ferrero, a former world No. 1 and 2003 French Open champion, guided Alcaraz through his rise to the ATP No. 1 ranking and his first six Grand Slam titles.

Samuel López joined Alcaraz's coaching team in 2024 and became his head coach for the 2026 season after Alcaraz and Ferrero parted ways in December 2025. Alcaraz's wider team has included physical trainer Alberto Lledó, physiotherapist Juanjo Moreno, doctor Juanjo López, agent Albert Molina and sports psychologist Isabel Balaguer.

His brother Álvaro has worked as his hitting partner and assistant coach. Alcaraz has also worked with childhood friend Fran Rubio as an additional physiotherapist.

In 2024, Alcaraz launched the Carlos Alcaraz Garfia Foundation, headquartered in El Palmar and operated in partnership with local schools. The foundation aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged children by supporting their physical and mental well-being and expanding access to social and educational opportunities.

Following flash floods in Valencia in 2024, the foundation provided buses to transport volunteers. Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero also organized a charity auction to raise funds for people affected by the floods. The foundation later presented the exhibition "Los Pies en la Tierra" in Murcia, highlighting equal opportunities for children.