Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time Grand Slam champion, recently attended the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, where he presented the Laureus World Sports Breakthrough of the Year award to Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. Alcaraz expressed his admiration for Bellingham, stating that he believes he is one of the best players in the world.
Alcaraz is now preparing for his final tournament as a 20-year-old at the Mutua Madrid Open, a tournament that holds special significance for him. He has spent his birthday at the tournament every year since he was 12 years old and considers it the place where his tennis journey began.
In 2020, Alcaraz lost on his birthday to his idol, Rafael Nadal, but he viewed it as a special experience. The following year, he celebrated his 19th birthday with a victory over Cameron Norrie and went on to win the tournament, defeating Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the process.
Last year, Alcaraz successfully defended his title on his 20th birthday. This year, he is aiming for a three-peat, but he is returning from a right arm injury that forced him to miss the Monte Carlo and Barcelona tournaments.
Alcaraz is seeded No. 2 in Madrid and will face the winner of the first-round match between Arthur Rinderknech and Alexander Shevchenko. With Djokovic out of the tournament, Alcaraz is the favorite to win his third consecutive title in Madrid.
