Carlos Alcaraz has won three major titles so far in his career, and he had trouble ranking them when asked about it.
The Spaniard won his maiden Grand Slam trophy in 2022 in New York, becoming the world number one player in the process. He was actually the youngest man to reach the world number one spot.
He then bested Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon to win his second Grand Slam trophy, and that triumph is iconic. Not only was it a huge moment for him personally due to his unfamiliarity with the grass, but it also snapped Djokovic’s 10-year unbeaten streak on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
That was certainly special, but so was winning Roland Garros for the first time. He grew up playing on clay and watching Rafael Nadal win Roland Garros, so the event holds a special place among many Spaniards.
Many Spanish players won it over the years, and he was very keen on getting his name on that same board. So when asked which triumph was most special, Alcaraz faced a tricky dilemma.
“That’s a difficult question. I mean, obviously winning the US Open, when I reached for the first time the No. 1, something that I dream since I started playing tennis, getting my first Grand Slam. So it was pretty special.”
“But honestly, the way that I won Wimbledon, beating Novak Djokovic in five sets, has been a great achievement for me. Right now lifting the Roland Garros trophy, knowing everything that I have been through the last month with the injuries and all that stuff, I don’t know.”
In the end, Alcaraz, to the surprise of possibly many, picked this Roland Garros triumph as the one he’s most proud of. How he handled the moment and how it all came to be in light of barely playing any clay tennis ahead of the event makes it pretty incredible for him, and he’s proud of the achievement.
“Probably this one. Probably this one is the moment that I’m really proud about myself, because everything that I have done the last month just to be ready for this tournament with my team, a lot of talks with them. You know, if I have to practice, if I can’t practice or discuss with them, it has been really difficult for me, honestly. So I’m going to say this one is the most that I am proud about myself.”