After a rollercoaster start to the 2025 tennis season, Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish sensation and four-time Grand Slam champion, has traded the hard courts of Miami for the sun-drenched beaches of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The 21-year-old, ranked No. 3 in the world, suffered a stinging defeat at the Miami Open in late March, bowing out in the second round to David Goffin in a three-set thriller—7-5, 4-6, 3-6. The loss marked an unexpected stumble in what had been a promising year, leaving Alcaraz visibly shaken. “How am I feeling? Dreadful,” he confessed after the match, his voice heavy with disappointment. “This is a tournament I always want to do well at, and losing my first match hurts.” Now, as he unwinds with his family on a much-needed getaway, Alcaraz is finding solace in the warmth of loved ones and the vibrant Mexican landscape, recharging before the grueling clay season ahead.
The Miami Open setback was a bitter pill for Alcaraz, who’d arrived in Florida riding the high of a semifinal run at Indian Wells and a title-winning performance at the Rotterdam Open earlier in the year. Against Goffin, a seasoned Belgian ranked outside the top 50, Alcaraz struggled to find his rhythm, racking up 42 unforced errors and admitting to a mysterious physical malaise. “I didn’t play well, physically I didn’t feel well,” he said, his frustration palpable. “When you don’t have the confidence of your level physically, it’s really tough to maintain good tennis.” Despite feeling “perfectly” before the match—no injuries, no illness—he faltered as the night wore on, his legs betraying him in a way he couldn’t explain. It was a humbling moment for a player accustomed to dazzling crowds with his explosive athleticism and fearless shot-making, a reminder that even the brightest stars can flicker.
Rather than dwell on the defeat, Alcaraz chose escape over analysis—at least for now. After lingering in Miami with friends for a few days, he jetted off to Mexico, a destination that’s become a sanctuary for the young Spaniard. The Riviera Maya, with its turquoise waters and swaying palms, offered the perfect backdrop for a reset. Joined by his parents, his older brother Álvaro—who doubles as his hitting partner—and his younger brothers Sergio and Jaime, Alcaraz immersed himself in family time. Social media lit up with glimpses of his adventure: snapshots of him spiking a volleyball on the beach, cruising on a boat with the wind in his hair, and lounging poolside with a grin that belied the heartbreak of days prior. “Tiempo de calidad!” he captioned one post, a burst of enthusiasm that translates to “Quality time!”—a mantra he’s long held dear.
This isn’t the first time Alcaraz has turned to family to heal after a tough loss. A year ago, during the 2024 offseason, he retreated to the Dominican Republic for a similar escape, mentoring a local player while soaking in Caribbean vibes with his loved ones. It’s a pattern rooted in his upbringing in Murcia, Spain, where he still lives with his family despite his global stardom. “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,” he once told a British outlet, a sentiment that rings true whether he’s hoisting a trophy or licking his wounds. In Mexico, that closeness was on full display—whether he was laughing with Álvaro over a shared joke or marveling at the coastline with Jaime and Sergio, the trip was as much about bonding as it was about respite.
The timing of this getaway couldn’t be more critical. With the clay season fast approaching, Alcaraz faces a pivotal stretch that kicks off with the Monte Carlo Masters in early April. Last year, injuries sidelined him for much of the European clay swing, but when he returned at Roland Garros, he was unstoppable, clinching his third major title. Now, after resuming training on the red dirt in Murcia just days ago, he’s determined to hit the ground running. The Mexico trip wasn’t just a break—it was a recalibration, a chance to clear the mental fog from Miami and rediscover the joy that fuels his game. “I thought that I was going to play really good tennis,” he’d said of his Miami expectations, a hope dashed but not extinguished.
For Alcaraz, the Riviera Maya was more than a vacation—it was a lifeline. As he posed for photos with his family against a backdrop of crashing waves, the sting of defeat faded, replaced by the promise of what’s to come. The tennis world awaits his return, eager to see if this rejuvenated “Carlitos” can reclaim his clay-court magic. With his loved ones by his side and the Mexican sun in his soul, Alcaraz is poised to turn heartbreak into triumph, one swing at a time.