Carlos Alcaraz is not only one of the world’s top-ranked players but also an endearing athlete off the court.
The Spaniard is a charismatic player who almost always plays with a smile, regardless of his situation on the court. Even rival coaches and players are in awe of the kind-hearted person he is both on and off the court.
Recently, at the Madrid Open, where Alcaraz was given a hero’s welcome as he targets a three-peat, he demonstrated his class and the fans’ fondness for him. In return, the 20-year-old made a young boy’s day.
The two-time defending champion had seemingly just finished his practice and was escorted away from the Caja Magica when a swarm of enthusiastic home fans crowded at the gate seeking an autograph.
One young fan had been struggling to get an Alcaraz memento, but he was spotted by the World No. 3 and one of his coaching team members. Alcaraz helped identify the boy who was wheeled away from the steel partition to meet his idol by three security guards.
Alcaraz inked an autograph on his towel along with a message for the young fan. The two posed for a selfie, and the boy’s tears were instantly replaced with a cheeky smile.
This is not the first time Alcaraz has bumped into one of his fans after a practice session. At this year’s Monte-Carlos Masters, he gifted a tennis fan his wristband while training.
With just a few days to go before celebrating his 21st birthday, Alcaraz entered this year’s Madrid Open not operating at 100% because of a forearm injury. He has already missed two key events in the build-up to Roland Garros, namely Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
He is the number two seed in Madrid and opened his title defense against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko on Friday evening in front of a packed Manolo Santana Stadium.
