"When we’re at home, my parents tell me what I have to do, you know––‘Do this, do that,’ just normal parent-kid stuff" - Carlos Alcaraz on his life off-court
Carlos Alcaraz is at the top of his game, winning five titles this year, including his maiden Grand Slam at the 2022 US Open. With his win at Flushing Meadows, he also became the youngest World No. 1 in ATP history.
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In an interview with GQ, Alcaraz spoke about his life off the tennis court.
The new World No. 1 lives and trains at the JC Ferrero Equelite Sports Academy, a short drive away from his house. However, once home, the Spaniard said that he is treated just like any other normal teenager.
"When we’re at home, my parents tell me what I have to do. You know––‘Do this, do that,’ just normal parent-kid stuff. I’m normal," he said. "I’m a normal guy.”
Alcaraz has already returned to Spain after his US Open triumph, where he is all set to represent his nation at the Davis Cup.
“It was incredible for me to grow up watching the best guys in the world" - Carlos Alcaraz on idolizing the Big 3
In the same interview with GQ, Carlos Alcaraz spoke about the Big 3's influence on him. Like most of his fellow professionals, he grew up watching Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic dominate the sport.
"When you’re a kid, you always want to be like someone, you know?” he said. “It was incredible for me to grow up watching [the Big 3’s] matches. Just the best guys in the world, dominating the ATP, winning for so many years. That helped me to be like them––well, to try to be like them.”
Alcaraz has played only a few matches against Nadal and Djokovic but has already beaten both the stalwarts.
He first played against his idol Nadal at the 2021 Madrid Masters. The King of Clay was too good for the teenager that day, taking the match 6-1, 6-2. The pair next met at Indian Wells the following year, with Nadal again coming out on top, although not so easily this time. In their most recent meeting in Madrid this year, Alcaraz finally got the better of the 22-time Major winner, beating him 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.
Alcaraz and Djokovic have only met once before, with the Spaniard coming out on top in a thrilling match at the 2022 Madrid Masters, 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5).
Besides the Big 3, Carlos Alcaraz has named his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, as well as Pablo Andujar, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Carreno Busta, as players he admires.