Can we take a moment to marvel at the career Carlos Alcaraz is having? He just turned 20 years old in May and has already accomplished more than most tennis players will dream of. He’s the current No. 1 tennis player in the world and has already spent 30 weeks at No. 1 – which is the 16th-most all-time.
His most recent achievement came on July 16, when he defeated Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller to earn his first career Wimbledon title – it also marked his second career Grand Slam win and 12th career title. He just needs to win the French Open and Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam.
Carlos Alcaraz now has a 137-35 career singles record as he continues to work alongside his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero. They’ve built a dynasty together over the past four years, which is scary to think about because they’re just getting started and have much more to accomplish in the near and far future.
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Carlos Alcaraz Has Already Accomplished So Much
Born on May 5, 2003, Carlos Alcaraz followed in his father’s footsteps and started playing tennis at an early age. He began taking the sport seriously at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia – where his father was the academy director. By the age of 15, he was being coached by Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Between 2019 and 2020, Carlos Alcaraz won four titles on the ATP Challenger Tour and started to make a name for himself as a professional. He became just the fifth player to win at least three titles on the Challenger Tour before turning 18 years old – joining a list that includes none other than Novak Djokovic.
On February 17, 2020, he made his ATP Tour debut at the 2020 Rio Open – where he defeated Albert Ramos Viñolas before losing to Federico Coria in the second round. He started the 2020 calendar year at No. 490 in the world, but made his arrival into the top-200 as the season went on and he kept winning.
Here’s a look at what he has accomplished since then:
1. Wins ATP Newcomer of the Year Award (December 2020)
In December 2020, Carlos Alcaraz was honored with the ATP Newcomer of the Year award – which was voted on by other players on the tour. The award generally recognizes a ‘Next Generation’ player (under 21) who entered the top-100 for the first time and made the biggest impact on the ATP Tour that year.
While Alcaraz technically didn’t make his way into the top-100, he did become the youngest player to ever crack the top-200 and his ascent was pretty remarkable – he began the year at No. 490 and worked his way as high as No. 136 in October and ended the year at No. 141. It was a climb of nearly 350 spots.
2. Wins First Career ATP Tour Title (July 2021)
In July 2021, Carlos Alcaraz earned his first ATP Tour title at the 2021 Croatia Open – which took place in Umag, Croatia between July 19 and July 25. The tournament was played on a clay surface and is considered an ATP Tour 250 tournament. Alcaraz was a 7-seed and was just 18 years old at the time.
He defeated Lucas Pouille 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round before cruising past Andrej Martin 6-3, 6-1 in the second round. He then beat Filip Krajinović 7-6, 2-6, 6-1 and Albert Ramos Viñolas 6-2, 7-6 en route to a Finals appearance against Richard Gasquet – who he steamrolled through 6-2, 6-2 for his first title.
3. Wins Rio Open (February 2022)
In February 2022, Carlos Alcaraz earned his second ATP Tour title at the 2022 Rio Open – which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between February 14 and February 20. The tournament was played on a clay surface and is considered an ATP Tour 500 event. Alcaraz was a 7-seed and was still 18 years old.
Alcaraz defeated Jaume Antoni Munar Clar 2-6 6-2, 6-1 in the first round and Federico Delbonis 6-4, 7-6 to march his way into the quarterfinals. There, he defeated Matteo Berrettini 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 and Fabio Fognini 6-2, 7-5 en route to a Finals appearance vs. Diego Schwartzman – who he beat 6-4, 6-2.
4. Wins Miami Open (April 2022)
In April 2022, Carlos Alcaraz earned his third ATP Tour title at the 2022 Miami Open –which took place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida between March 22 and April 3. The tournament was played on a hard surface and marked Alcaraz’s first career ATP Masters 1000 title – he was a 14-seed.
He bullied his way to the quarterfinals – beating Márton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-2 in the second round, Marin Čilić 6-4, 6-4 in the third round, and Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-3 in the fourth round. He beat Miomir Kecmanović in the quarterfinals, Hubert Hurkacz in the semifinals, and Casper Ruud in the Finals.
5. Wins Barcelona Open (April 2022)
In April 2022, just a few weeks after winning the Miami Open, Carlos Alcaraz earned his fourth ATP Tour title at the 2022 Barcelona Open – which took place in Barcelona, Spain between April 18 and 24. The tournament was played on a clay surface and is considered an ATP Tour 500 event – he was a 5-seed.
Alcaraz defeated Kwon Soon-woo 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 in the second round, Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-3 in the third round, Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, Alex de Minaur 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 in the semis, and Pablo Carreño Busta 6-3, 6-2 in the Finals. He became the youngest player to crack the top-10.
6. Wins Mutua Madrid Open (May 2022)
In May 2022, Carlos Alcaraz earned his fifth ATP Tour title at the 2022 Mutua Madrid Open – which took place in Madrid, Spain between May 1 and May 8. It was played on a clay court at Park Manzanares and is designated as an ATP Tour Masters 1000 event – marking the second Masters 1000 win of his career.
Alcaraz (a 7-seed) defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 7-5 in the second round, Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 in the third round, Rafael Nadal 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals, Novak Djokovic 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in the semifinals, and Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 in the Finals. It was Carlos’ fourth win of the 2022 season.
7. Wins First Career Major at U.S. Open (September 2022)
In September 2022, Carlos Alcaraz earned his sixth ATP Tour title and first major title at the 2022 U.S. Open – which took place in Flushing, New York between August 29 and September 11. It was played on a hard surface and Carlos entered as the No. 3 seed – cruising his way through the first three rounds.
He faced resistance in the fourth round, but defeated Marin Čilićin five sets. He went on to beat Jannik Sinner and Frances Tiafoe in two five-set thrillers to reach his first major finals against Casper Ruud – who he defeated in four sets. With the win, Alcaraz cemented himself as the next big thing in tennis.
8. Becomes Youngest World No. 1 in ATP Rankings’ History (September 2022)
With his win at the 2022 U.S. Open, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest world No. 1 player in ATP Rankings’ history – he was just 19 years, 4 months, and 6 days old when he beat Casper Ruud in the Finals. The previous record was held by Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 years, 8 months, and 26 days old.
The win also made him the youngest U.S. Open champion since Pete Sampras – who was 19 years, 28 days old when he won it in 1990 – and the first teenager to become No. 1 in the world (in the Open Era). He was proving to be in a league of his own and winning that first Grand Slam made all the difference.
9. Becomes Youngest Year-End No. 1 in ATP Rankings’ History (November 2022)
In November 2022, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest year-end world No. 1 player in ATP Rankings’ history – he was officially presented with the award at the conclusion of the 2022 ATP Tour season in December. He started the year at No. 32 and climbed all the way up to world No. 1 nine months later.
He was 19 years, 214 days old when the season ended on December 5 – breaking a record previously held by Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 years, 275 days old when he achieved the feat. He’s the 18th player to be awarded year-end No. 1, but just the fifth player since 2003 – joining an extremely elite group.
10. Wins ATP Player of the Year and ATP Most Improved Player of the Year (December 2022)
Carlos Alcaraz capped off an incredible 2022 campaign by being named ATP Player of the Year and ATP Most Improved Player of the Year in December 2022. Not only that, but his coach – Juan Carlos Ferrero – was named Coach of the Year. The awards further cemented the impeccable season Alcaraz just had.
He finished the 2022 calendar year with five titles – the Rio Open, Miami Open, Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, and U.S. Open. He went from No. 32 in the world to No. 1 in the world, won his first Grand Slam, won his first (and second) Masters 1000 titles, and proved that he won’t be backing down from anyone.
11. Wins Argentina Open (February 2023)
In February 2023, Carlos Alcaraz won his seventh ATP Tour title and first title of the 2023 season at the 2023 Argentina Open – which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina between February 13 and February 19. It was played on a clay court and designated as an ATP Tour 250 event. Alcaraz was the No. 1 seed.
He received a first-round bye before beating Laslo Djere in the second round, Dušan Lajović in the quarterfinals, and Bernabé Zapata Miralles in the semis. He ended up beating Cameron Norrie in straight sets (6-3, 7-5) in the finals to earn his first win of 2023 – proving that 2022 wasn’t a fluke.
12. Records 100th Career Match Win (March 2023)
In March 2023, Carlos Alcaraz earned his 100th career match win in his 132nd match after defeating Tallon Griekspoor in the third round of the 2023 Indian Wells Masters. In doing so, he became the second-fastest player in ATP history to earn his 100th match win – John McEnroe did it in 131 matches.
“Yeah, a lot has happened since that first ATP win. You know, I’m really proud of myself to have my 100th win on the tour, you know, in like 132 matches. I saw I was the second player in history with less matches to be able to get into 100, you know, win. Yeah, I’m really proud of myself about that,” he said of the win.
13. Wins Indian Wells Masters (March 2023)
Speaking of the Indian Wells Masters, he went on to win that tournament for his eighth career ATP Tour title and second of the 2023 season. The tournament was played on a hard surface at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California between March 6 and March 19 – it’s designated as an ATP Masters 1000 event.
He defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis in the 2nd round, Tallon Griekspoor in the 3rd round (100th career win), Jack Draper in the 4th round, Félix Auger-Aliassime in the quarters, and Jannik Sinner in the semis before beating Daniil Medvedev in the finals. He didn’t drop a single set in the entire tournament.
14. Wins Barcelona Open for 2nd Year in a Row (April 2023)
In April 2023, Carlos Alcaraz earned his ninth career ATP Tour title and third title of the 2023 season at the Barcelona Open – which took place in Barcelona, Spain between April 17 and April 23. It was played on a clay surface and is designated as an ATP Tour 500 event. Alcaraz was the defending champion.
He beat Nuno Borges in the second round, Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarterfinals, Dan Evans in the semifinals, and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the finals. Like his previous title win at Indian Wells, Alcaraz didn’t drop a single set in the entire tournament.
15. Wins Mutua Madrid Open for 2nd Year in a Row (May 2023)
In May 2023, Carlos Alcaraz earned his 10th career ATP Tour title and fourth title of the 2023 season at the Mutua Madrid Open – which was held in Madrid, Spain between April 25 and May 7. It was played on a clay surface and is a designated ATP Tour Masters 1000 event. Alcaraz was the defending champion.
He beat Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round, Grigor Dimitrov in the third round, Alexander Zverev in the fourth round, Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals, and Borna Ćorić in the semifinals before taking down Jan-Lennard Struff in a three-set final. It marked Carlos’ fourth career ATP Masters 1000 victory.
16. Wins Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award (May 2023)
In early May – shortly after the 2023 Mutua Open – Carlos Alcaraz won the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award – which is ‘awarded to the sportsperson or team whose performance as a newcomer suggests the greatest potential for an outstanding career’ – adding more shiny hardware to his collection.
Alcaraz became just the fourth ATP Tour player to win the award since its introduction in 2000 – the three others being Marat Safin (2001), Rafael Nadal (2006), and Andy Murray (2013). It also marked the second year in a row that a tennis player won the award – WTA player Emma Raducanu won it in 2022.
17. Wins Queen’s Club Championships (June 2023)
In June 2023, Carlos Alcaraz earned his 11th career ATP Tour title and fifth title of the 2023 season at the Queen’s Club Championships – which was held in London, UK between June 19 and June 25. It was played on a grass surface and is designated as an ATP Tour 500 series event. Alcaraz was the 1-seed.
He ended up beating Arthur Rinderknech in the first round, Jiří Lehečka in the second round, Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals, and Sebastian Korda in the semis before knocking out Alex de Minaur in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) in the final. Aside from his three-set first round, Carlos didn’t drop a single set.
18. Wins Second Career Major at Wimbledon (July 2023)
In July 2023, Carlos Alcaraz earned his 12th career ATP Tour title, sixth title of the 2023 season, and second career major win at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships – which was held in London, UK between July 3 and July 16. It was played on a grass surface with Alcaraz entering as the No. 1 seed.
He went on to beat Jérémy Chardy in the first round, Alexandre Müller in the second round, Nicolás Jarry in the third round, Matteo Berrettini in the fourth round, Holger Rune in the quarterfinals, Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals, and Novak Djokovic in the finals. At 20 years old, he’s the clear No. 1.
19. Brand Ambassador for Rolex, BMW, and Louis Vuitton
When he’s not making money for his stellar play on the court, Carlos Alcaraz racking in the dough through his many sponsorships and endorsements – including Nike (who supplies his clothing and shoes) and Babolat (who supplies his racket). Outside of that, he works alongside some pretty big names.
He became a brand ambassador for Rolex in January 2022 (before his incredible 2022 campaign) and is also an ambassador for Isdin, ElPozo, BMW (Spanish division), Calvin Klein, and (more recently) Louis Vuitton – he signed with the famous designer in June 2023. Those checks are getting bigger and bigger.
20. $19.64 Million in Career Earnings
Speaking of checks, Carlos Alcaraz is setting himself up to perhaps be the all-time leader in career earnings by the time his career is finished. At 20 years old, he has already earned more than $19.64 million in prize winnings – a number that currently ranks 30th all-time. And he still has a lot to give.
Only three ATP Tour players have ever cracked the $100 million mark in prize earnings – Roger Federer ($130,594,339), Rafael Nadal ($134,640,719), and Novak Djokovic ($171,254,424). Alcaraz might be a long way away from catching those three, but let’s revisit this in 10 years and see where he’s at.
What’s Next for Carlos Alcaraz?
Carlos Alcaraz is just 20 years old and it’s not like he’s turning 21 anytime soon – he’s a fresh 20 and still has the best of his career ahead of him. Considering what he has already accomplished at his young age, there’s no telling what his resume might look like in 10, maybe 20 years’ time – it’s scary to think about.
After his most recent Wimbledon win, it’s clearly not a matter of when he’ll win his next Grand Slam – it’s more a matter of how many Grand Slams he’ll win before his career comes to an end. Will he reach double-digits? Will he surpass his current rival, Novak Djokovic, who has 23 Grand Slam wins to date?
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It’ll be interesting to see just how far Carlos Alcaraz can go in his professional career – he has already proven so much, but he now must prove that he can maintain that over the course of the next decade (or two decades, if possible). One thing is for certain – I’m going to be keeping a close eye on his career.
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