At just 22 years old, Carlos Alcaraz is emerging as one of tennis’s brightest young talents. Earlier this year, Netflix released a documentary titled Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, offering an intimate look not only at his career on the court but also glimpses into his life off it, including his partying habits.
This candid portrayal drew criticism from some pundits, sparking debate about the image it projected. However, Alcaraz’s compatriot and tennis legend Rafael Nadal has come to his defense, strongly condemning the documentary’s portrayal.
“However, knowing Carlos a little, I think the documentary doesn’t reflect his personality or the way he lives his career. He doesn’t come across as a tennis player who trains, but as someone who likes to party, who needs it, who isn’t very professional. It’s just not true,” Nadal speaking to L’Equipe
“Carlos is a great professional. He’s a person who works very hard to bring his tennis and his physique to the highest level. I think the documentary was approached in the wrong way, because people’s perception is different from what his real life,” he added.
“Right now, my biggest fear of all is ending up seeing tennis as an obligation. Sometimes I feel like I am enslaved to tennis, and that causes anxiety, frustration, doubts.” Alcaraz himself reflected on the criticism of the party lifestyle. Alcaraz did recall an incident when he partied after a loss to Nadal in the French Open semifinal in 2023, which angered his agent, Albert Molina.
“I ended up going, and they know what I’m going there to do. In Ibiza, I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty much all about partying and going out,” Alcaraz recalled. “I basically went there to reventar (burst), I’m not sure if that’s the best way to put it, but I went there to go out. I really made the most of it because I knew I might not get another three days like that.”
Active tennis player Roberto Bautista Agut responded to the documentary with a pointed remark, saying, “I don’t think Carlos will win Grand Slams by going to bed at seven in the morning.”
