In Pictures: Ben Shelton reunites with Carlos Alcaraz; pair make striking appearance at New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden
World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz was seen at the iconic Madison Square Garden in the USA. The Spaniard attended an NBA game between the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic, alongside American tennis star Ben Shelton.
Alcaraz has been taking some time off the court during the off-season. The 21-year-old had a demanding 2024 season that left him quite drained by the end. He was previously seen relaxing on the beaches of the Dominican Republic with his brother Alvaro. The brothers have reunited once again, this time in New York.
Ben Shelton attended the game as well, making the event even more star-studded. New York holds a special place for Shelton, as the city is where he achieved his biggest success so far, reaching the semifinals of the 2023 US Open.
Both Alcaraz and Shelton played over 60 matches in the 2024 season, with both of them ending the season at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. While The Spaniard is expected to be in Australia for the Australian Open at the beginning of 2025, the American player has already made his intentions clear about traveling to New Zealand. The World No. 21 aims to kickstart his 2025 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz are big fans of basketball
Ben Shelton, being an American is naturally attracted to basketball. The 21-year-old has previously been spotted on basketball courts during his off-time. Back in February, during the Dallas Open, Shelton was seen with Tommy Paul, playing some light-hearted basketball games. The American was seen showing off his basketball skills at the American Airlines Arena, the home court of the Dallas Mavericks.
Alcaraz is an ardent NBA fan as well. The Spaniard is a big fan of NBA legend Michael Jordan. During the 2023 US Open, he was spotted wearing a shirt with a picture of the NBA great on it.
"Everybody knows Michael, what he did to the game," Alcaraz told Insider. "He was something unbelievable. I'm a huge fan of him, and a huge fan of his clothes as well, as you can see." said Alcaraz (via businessinsider.com).
Back at the 2024 Australian Open, Alcaraz sported the iconic 3-peat shirt of Michael Jordan, symbolizing the legendary Chicago Bulls' three-year championship run. The Spaniard aimed to motivate himself for his third Grand Slam title in Melbourne. Unfortunately, he fell short, losing to Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.