Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a 23 year old Spanish tennis player who has won seven Grand Slam titles, spent 66 weeks at world No. 1 and completed the career Grand Slam at 22, younger than any man before him. He is the defending US Open champion and is in the quarterfinals in New York this week.
| Full name | Carlos Alcaraz Garfia |
|---|---|
| Born | May 5, 2003, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain (age 23) |
| Height | 6 feet 0 inches, 1.83 m |
| Plays | Right handed, two handed backhand |
| Turned pro | 2018 |
| Coach | Samuel Lopez, after splitting with Juan Carlos Ferrero in December 2025 |
| Career record | 303-68 in singles |
| Career titles | 26, including 7 majors and 8 Masters 1000s |
| Grand Slam titles | Australian Open 2026, French Open 2024 and 2025, Wimbledon 2023 and 2024, US Open 2022 and 2025 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1, first reached September 12, 2022 |
| Current ranking | No. 3 |
| Career prize money | About $65 million, sixth on the all time list |
| Olympics | Silver medal, Paris 2024 |
Background
Alcaraz grew up in El Palmar, a village outside Murcia, and is the second of four sons. His father, Carlos Alcaraz Gonzalez, played professionally and became a coach at the local tennis club, and his mother, Virginia Garfia Escandon, worked in retail. He signed with IMG at 12 and played his first main draw professional match at 16. Rafael Nadal is his idol and he supports Real Madrid.
Career Timeline
- 2020: Named ATP Newcomer of the Year after climbing from No. 491 to No. 141.
- 2022: Won five titles including Miami and Madrid, beat Casper Ruud for the US Open title, and became the youngest world No. 1 in ATP history at 19.
- 2023: Beat Novak Djokovic in a five set Wimbledon final for his second major.
- 2024: Won the French Open and Wimbledon back to back, became the youngest man to win majors on all three surfaces, and took Olympic silver in Paris.
- 2025: Won the French Open in the longest final in the tournament’s history and the US Open over Jannik Sinner, finished the year at No. 1 for the second time, and split with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in December.
- 2026: Beat Djokovic for his first Australian Open title and the career Grand Slam, then lost four months to a right wrist injury that cost him the French Open and Wimbledon.
His Game
Alcaraz is built on speed and variety rather than one weapon. He hits a heavy forehand, moves as well as anyone on tour, and uses the drop shot more than any top player of his era. He has won majors on hard, clay and grass, which only a handful of men have managed, and his career winning percentage is highest on grass at close to 90 percent.
Right Now
The US Open is his first tournament since April. He has dropped one set in four matches, beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to reach the quarterfinals, and has won 18 straight matches at the majors. Sinner is not in the draw because of a knee injury. No man has won back to back US Open titles since Roger Federer in 2008.