Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis phenom, has taken the sport by storm with his explosive athleticism and unrelenting drive. With four Grand Slam titles already under his belt—including the 2022 US Open and back-to-back Wimbledon crowns in 2023 and 2024—the young star has solidified his place among the game’s elite. Yet behind his meteoric rise lies a family dynamic that has shaped his journey in unexpected ways. Recently, Alcaraz peeled back the curtain on his father’s role—or rather, his deliberate absence—from his training sessions, offering a glimpse into the personal choices that have fueled his success.
From the moment he first gripped a racket at age four, Alcaraz’s father, Carlos Alcaraz González, was his guiding light. A former professional player who once ranked among Spain’s top 40, González introduced his son to tennis at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia, where he served as director. Those early years were a father-son affair, with González coaching Carlitos—as he’s affectionately known—through countless rallies and instilling a love for the game that would become the bedrock of his career. But as Alcaraz’s talent blossomed, a pivotal shift occurred. At 15, he left Murcia for Villena to train under Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former world number one and 2003 Roland Garros champion. It was then that González made a conscious decision to step back.
“I don’t really like my father coming to my practice,” Alcaraz confessed with a candidness that belies his years. “He knows a lot about tennis, but he doesn’t like to be on top of me all the time when I’m practicing.” This revelation isn’t about tension or discord—far from it. It’s a testament to a father’s understanding that his son needed space to grow, to carve his own path under a new mentor’s wing. González, who had nurtured Alcaraz’s raw talent from toddlerhood, recognized that hovering could stifle the independence his son craved as he transitioned into the professional sphere. “He knows when to give me my space,” Alcaraz added, a nod to the quiet wisdom that has kept their bond strong despite the physical distance.
This arrangement reflects a deeper family philosophy. González, whose own tennis dreams were cut short by financial constraints in the 1990s, has always prioritized his son’s autonomy. When Alcaraz moved to Ferrero’s academy, his father didn’t just relinquish coaching duties—he entrusted Ferrero with shaping the technical and mental facets of his game. Yet González remains a constant presence in other ways, often spotted in the stands at tournaments alongside Alcaraz’s mother, Virginia Garfia, and his brothers—Álvaro, Sergio, and Jaime. “My father played very well, everyone who faced him says so, but he did not have the opportunity to grow,” Alcaraz once said, his empathy underscoring the gratitude he feels for the sacrifices that paved his way.
The decision paid off spectacularly. Under Ferrero’s tutelage, Alcaraz has evolved into a force of nature—blending ferocious baseline play with a creative flair that’s drawn comparisons to Rafael Nadal, his childhood idol. His 2024 season was a masterclass: victories at Roland Garros and Wimbledon made him the youngest man to win majors on all three surfaces, a feat that stunned the tennis world. Even so, González’s absence from the practice court hasn’t dimmed his influence. Alcaraz credits his father’s early lessons for his relentless work ethic and competitive fire—traits that shone through in his epic five-set Wimbledon triumphs over Novak Djokovic.
Off the court, the Alcaraz family remains a tight-knit unit. Álvaro, his older brother and occasional hitting partner, joins González in traveling to key events, while Virginia keeps the home fires burning in El Palmar. “When I finish a tournament, it doesn’t matter if I win or not, I just want to get home to be with my family,” Alcaraz has said, a sentiment that reveals the grounding force behind his stratospheric rise. His father’s choice to step back from training isn’t a retreat but a strategic retreat—an act of love that’s allowed Carlitos to flourish while keeping the family’s support unwaveringly intact. As Alcaraz eyes the 2025 Australian Open, aiming to complete a Career Slam, González’s distance from the practice court stands as a quiet cornerstone of a champion’s ascent—one built on trust, space, and a father’s unyielding belief.