"There it is, get ready. The stampede comes..." A security guard at the Caja Mágica in Madrid notices as the silhouette of Carlos Alcaraz is guessed in the distance and is enlarging as the tennis player approaches through the tunnel. The training has just finished and, one more day, the sequence is repeated: the marabunta unfolds, rolls, swallows. And, finally, it absorbs the athlete. Races and various pushes in search of a space in the front row. The sheets of the metal structure on which the stands sit generate a metallic sound that leads to fervent shouting and flash blows when the boy, just turned 20, Carlitos, despite the three-day-old beard and the sculpted body that appears, arrives at the fence and for 10 minutes tries to meet the maximum number of requests.
"This is being really crazy. Last year was already something out of the ordinary, but the fever has risen even more. He deserves it, he must enjoy it, but always with care; is very young and a situation of this type can get out of hand, "says a few meters from the scene the physiotherapist Juanjo Moreno, the man who watches over safeguarding the physique of the champion; champion because, again, Alcaraz has conquered the Madrid Masters consecutively – an achievement achieved so far only by a certain Rafael Nadal – and continues to dazzle here and there, the same in the cement of Indian Wells as in the arena of Buenos Aires or Barcelona. Like a gigantic wave that covers almost everything, the Murcian – "the same kid as always," he told this newspaper in New York after winning the last US Open – has accelerated the process that was intuited that could take place. It has blown everything up. Somehow, he and his meteoric ascension do not seem to understand times or linearity, the logical phases of climbing. It's the here and now. He is already in this global, technological and viral world. He does not hesitate in the answer, without half measures: "I want to be one of the best in history," he said in March in Miami in a meeting with journalists.
At the moment, Alcaraz continues to make his way sportively and mediatically to dentadas, as in his day did the Swedish Björn Borg. He already owns a Grand Slam – last year's US Open – occupies the pinnacle of his sport and continues to collect trophies and records of precocity at a stratospheric speed. It doesn't run, it flies; It doesn't compete, it just wins. In his office, the director of the Madrid tournament, Feliciano López, who combines the position with the last days of his career, attests to all this. After 26 years in the elite, he knows what he is talking about. "It has unleashed a madness. He is the novelty, and people want new things. Life is like that... People get tired of everything; I'm not saying that they did it with Rafa, far from it, but like Carlitos it's an extraordinary thing and on top of that it's new, because people are enthusiastic about him," he introduces. "But comparing the two is unfair; To begin with, because the world has changed a lot in a few years. I think Carlitos is very good for a certain audience, because he will attract many young people to our sport and that is always needed, but they are completely different worlds, "continues the Toledano, aware that the landing of this last sensation occurs in the context of a new scenario. From analog to digital, practically.
The Murcian tennis player throws balls to fans after training in Madrid.James Rajotte
Alcaraz is tennis, yes, but at the same time Alcaraz is Instagram, TikTok, Twitch and many other social networks of exposure and interaction that connect him with those new audiences that are governed by such particular codes; that is, everything immediate, brief and intense, if possible. The adrenaline of the moment. Pure YouTube or Twitter meat, too. This is underlined by Jon Segovia, professor of Leadership and Change Management at Deusto Business School. "It reaches young people very well because it belongs to a different generation, that of centennials [born after 1996; he is from May 5, 2003.] They are digital natives and have very specific behavior patterns that people of another generation may be shocked. They are boys and girls with short-term goals and more independent; in that sense, we are facing a new breed of athletes, and it seems that Alcaraz is going to be one of the clear references, "he says.
The tennis player walks through the bowels of the Caja Mágica wrapped in a baggy Air Jordan tracksuit. Chat with a tournament employee about one of his weaknesses, sneakers. At the beginning of March he visited the headquarters of Nike, in Oregon, and there he received the treatment of a star, in addition to a personalized model with the motto of his grandfather, by which he is governed within the tracks: "Head, heart and cojones". The American multinational threw the noose when he was 16 years old and now boasts of youth and talent, in the same way as do the rest of the sponsors who have wanted to partner with him; from BMW (cars) to Isdin (cosmetics), through Rolex (watches), Babolat (rackets), El Pozo (food) or Turismo de Murcia. In several cities, huge canvases have been taken down in which he appears posing in his underwear and has starred in the latest Calvin Klein campaign. Countless brands tempt the great reef.
"Whether you like tennis or not, it attracts," says Santiago Álvarez de Mon, a professor at IESE Business School (University of Navarra). "It is a magnet for young people and brands because, in addition to having enormous potential, it radiates joy and optimism, exudes health and is campechano. He has extraordinary abilities, but he also proposes work and sacrifice. It does not surprise me at all that it is rifen, because it projects a series of values very necessary for the new generations. When I see that my son is following one of his games, I perceive that he is facing something healthy, "he adds.
Recently, the Spanish multinational Personality Media, specialized in the analysis of public figures, released a study that indicates that Alcaraz has doubled its popularity in the last two years; Specifically, it has gone from being known by 29% of the country at the end of 2021 to 72% today. No national athlete has multiplied his fame in a similar way. "There is a need for new idols, because the previous ones are extinguished. And in their case, brands and media smell fresh blood, "says the general director of the company, Santiago Mollinedo. "Building the profile of a successful athlete is not easy, but in the case of tennis, the individual nature of that sport helps," he adds. The report details that the sample – carried out among people over 16 years of age and measuring up to 18 image and advertising attributes – perceives the tennis player as "a role model, healthy and professional", which in turn transmits "sympathy and leadership".
The consultant Juan Mateo, president of Story Training, intervenes. "The great reference, Nadal, has created a school of behavior. It is about generating heroes who transmit a series of values because they are very useful socially. And, of course, if Rafa acts like this, there is an imitation effect; The new generations absorb and imitate. All this is related to training. If you generate a good school, it produces valuable people. It's the American concept. They have a powerful industry that generates talent in centers of excellence, and that's what it's all about; in Spain the same thing is happening with tennis; Academies have become a talent factory, it's no coincidence."
Fans at the exit of a tennis player's training. James Rajotte
On Instagram, for example, Alcaraz drags a cyber mass of 2.3 million followers, still far from the 18.4 that Rafa Nadal treasures, the most followed tennis player in this social network, ahead of Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka or Emma Raducanu. The sixth is Alcaraz. In the real world, the stands fill every time he plays, wherever he plays. "One day I took him from the hotel to the Caja Mágica, and he seemed like a good boy. Of course, during the journey he did not speak anything; I was all the time looking at my phone, without raising my head... But it's normal, he's the age he is," says one of the hosts of the Madrid tournament. His tennis seduces and deceives the fan, and his image catches the new consumer. Through the facilities of the San Fermín neighborhood, footballers, artists, politicians and celebrities of all kinds were seen to see him live; from Real Madrid footballer Vinicius Jr. to Victoria Federica, daughter of Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar; the filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar also attended, accompanied by the singer Nathy Peluso, or the presenter David Broncano.
"It's a real blast. He reminds me of Ronaldinho, he invents and invents all the time. Every day something is taken out of the hat", describes enthusiastically the actor Ricardo Gómez, who has come to the Caja Mágica accompanied by the Catalan Àlex Monner, who adds: "Yes, total. He has that style and Rafa [Nadal] looks more like Cristiano Ronaldo, all the time there, non-stop, pim-pam, pim-pam, like a machine that is crushing you." After resolving his first round match, he also expresses his admiration for the Murcian tennis player Roberto Carballés, 30 years old: "It is very attractive to see. I, who don't watch much tennis when I'm out of competition, if he plays, I encourage myself." And add praise the Danish Holger Rune and the American Frances Tiafoe. "Carlos is that kind of player who competes until the end, fun for the fan," says the Nordic. "What he is doing is crazy," summarizes the second.
Alcaraz's impact transcends borders and emerges as a global phenomenon. The international press follows in his footsteps closely, incredulous at the birth of another great figure of Spanish stamp, after the Mallorcan Nadal has risen as one of the historical totems of the racket. The reporter Christopher Clarey has covered more than 100 major tournaments and at the end of 2021 he approached Villena (Alicante), where the boy exercises daily, to analyze it in depth. "Tennis journalists watch a lot of matches, but if they are good, they should also watch training even though it's not the most exciting part of our profession," he replies. "I wanted to observe his method for an in-depth report from The New York Times, so I sat down to do my duty and suddenly found myself on vacation. It was quality over quantity: intense, of course, but full of passion for the craft. Carlos used the entire canvas with his precocious mix of power and touch; He had all the arsenal, and he gave himself body and soul to the task. His enthusiasm is infectious, and the fact that at this point it still seems like a game is part of his great appeal; he smiles when others seem to suffer, he plays with debauchery when others seem to overcalculate," Clarey recalls.
Equally astonished is the Englishman Tumaini Carayol, a specialist in The Guardian newspaper. "Naturally, tennis has been looking for the next champion to succeed the three giants [Nadal, Federer and Djokovic] and in recent years numerous talented players have emerged. However, none has generated as much expectation as Alcaraz, "he says; "In part it is due to his precocity, but his impact would be much less if it were not for his approach to sport; It draws attention without any controversy or eccentricity. His style can only be described as total tennis: he sweeps the ball, has a wide variety of shots, draws the left and possesses the best physique of his generation."
April - May 2023 - Follow-up report with tennis player Carlos Alcaraz during the Mutua Madrid Open tournament - ©James Rajotte ----PIEFOTO---- Carlos Alcaraz, at the Madrid Masters on 28 April.James Rajotte
In another moment, Alcaraz concludes his conversation with the journalists and immediately removes his mobile phone from his pocket to record a message. Two days later, he hangs a camera around his neck and records from a subjective perspective the moment in which he signs autographs and takes selfies with followers. "Last year was already spectacular, but this year has been brutal," says a person in charge of the organization of the Madrid tournament; "Everything has been Carlos, Carlos and more Carlos. We have sold practically all the tickets for their matches, the numbers have been outrageous." They coincide from the organization of the Godó, where the tennis player paraded the previous week and where he also revalidated the title achieved last year. "This edition we have had a record of ticket sales and public attendance. And in terms of audience, Alcaraz has achieved similar ratings to Nadal; This had never happened before. We felt some worry, but now we breathe easier. With it, the route seems assured. It's a blessing. When we announce that a top 10 is coming, we usually enter that day about 10,000 euros for the sale of tickets; this time, when we confirmed Carlos, we raised 26,000, "they explain from the Barcelona tournament, which this year had to prepare a special security device before the exaggerated approach to Murcia.
At his side, perennial, is always his agent, Albert Molina. The representative of the multinational IMG controls each and every one of the steps of the boy, who only for his sporting successes has already entered more than 14 million euros and around which a structure very similar to that of Nadal has been assembled. "Carlos is 20 years old and everyone is on top. He tries to convey tranquility, but we must not forget his age and that the pressure is constantly there; we have to protect him well, or else..." Gone are those times when Alcaraz could develop from a comfortable anonymity. Three years ago, in a meeting with EL PAÍS in Villena, the athlete had no qualms about getting into a pool in the middle of autumn for a photo shoot; something unthinkable today. Then he said he did not feel chosen, but events belie him. "I stand by my answer. Nobody gives you anything, I've earned it based on work," he granted to this newspaper during an interview in New York in September 2022, when he conquered the US Open and linked for the first time the number one of the ATP.
"Nadal's shadow is very long. There were Santana or Arantxa and all those who arrived later, but Rafa was the big boom. With him we began to believe it, and now the same thing happens with Alcaraz. Why can't he become so good? But comparison is always dangerous; Nadal is a beast. Unique. Alcaraz is doing very well, but we have not yet seen him in truly negative circumstances, which will surely come. His circle will have to control his ego very well," Segovia continues. "Although parallels can be drawn, he has to be him. That's going to be fundamental," warns Álvarez de Mon. "Take it easy, brother... Sharing is living," claimed the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas after being overwhelmed in the Godó final.
And concludes Clarey: "Alcaraz is part gymnast, part tennis player. He has the elasticity of Djokovic and the ability of Federer for the final flourish. It can make the devilish blow look easy and the easy blow look spectacular. On the track, on any track, you can't take your eyes off it. As the Big Three go dark, one by one, the sun is still shining on men's tennis."
01:08
Alcaraz: "I put myself on the list of candidates to win Roland Garros and I'm not afraid to say it"
The packed stands in the second round of the Madrid Masters between Alcaraz and Zverev.Photo: ©James Rajotte | Video: EFE
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