Carlos Alcaraz just got completely surprised at the US Open with an award he never saw coming.
Sure, the 22-year-old has won plenty of trophies during his short but amazing career. But this one caught him totally off guard during a press conference.
Everyone knows Alcaraz plays incredible tennis. Some people think he’s the most complete young player the sport has ever seen. He hits shots that just don’t make sense.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz | 22 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
But it’s not just his tennis that makes people love him.
Alcaraz actually smiles during matches when he pulls off crazy shots. Most players stay stone-faced the entire time, trying to keep their focus. Not Carlos.
That friendly personality shows up in press conferences too. Even after really tough losses, he doesn’t take his frustration out on reporters. He stays calm and talks through what happened.
The International Tennis Writers Association noticed this. These are the people who travel around the world covering tennis, and they decided to do something about it.
Bringing Back an Old Tradition
A member of the group told Alcaraz they used to give out a player ambassador award. They stopped during COVID but decided to bring it back for 2025.
This year’s French Open champion got picked because he’s willing to talk with reporters after wins and losses. Plus, he’s really cooperative when they want to do feature stories.
Alcaraz seemed genuinely thrilled. He kept thanking the guy while everyone else clapped. Obviously, he had no idea this award even existed.
One reporter jokingly asked if it was the most important trophy he’d ever received. Alcaraz said he’d put it on his bedroom wall.
You could tell he really meant it when he thanked everyone. The award makes total sense – the guy conducts himself perfectly with the media.
His biggest rival Jannik Sinner is also pretty good with reporters. Neither of these guys creates drama, which was obvious during their epic five-set French Open final. They didn’t even take tactical bathroom breaks.
Can Alcaraz Win Another US Open?
Sinner has won the last three hard-court Grand Slams, including last year’s US Open. But Alcaraz’s form since the clay season has been incredible. He’s probably the only guy who can stop the Italian right now.
First, though, he’s got to get through Reilly Opelka in the opening round on Monday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
That’s actually a pretty tough first match. Opelka has one of the best serves in tennis history.
Still, Alcaraz should feel confident. Except for that monster serve, he’s better than Opelka in every other area. Opelka knows he probably can’t afford to lose his serve even once.
Getting off to a strong start could be huge for Alcaraz. If he can build some momentum early, it might carry him all the way to a potential final showdown with Sinner.
Assuming the defending champ makes it that far, of course.
