“I want to sit at the same table as the big guys” – watch out ATP, Carlos Alcaraz is hungrier than ever after winning second Wimbledon

After winning his fourth major title – and second Wimbledon – on Sunday in London, we get a real glimpse into the heart and mind of Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old wunderkind who has taken tennis by storm ever since he hit the tour.

If there is one clear message to take from the Spaniard’s latest triumph, it was sent out to the world in living color on Sunday, both on Centre Court, where he was close to flawless – and perhaps as good as he ever has been – in his straight-set takedown of Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic, and in the press room, where he unfolded his vision for the future to a room full of reporters in Wimbledon’s main press room.

It’s just the beginning…

At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big guys. That’s my main goal.

— Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz has cause to celebrate his rise today, and he will, but only in moderation because, as Alcaraz himself said over and over after his 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) win over Djokovic, there is much to be done, much to improve and a lot left to prove – both to himself and others.

Already the youngest player to win Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces, the youngest to win the Roland-Garros-Wimbledon double in the same season and one of just four Open Era ATP players to win four majors before turning 22, Alcaraz isn’t about to rest on his laurels.

He’s far from being satisfied.

No limits, just desire

“Obviously I’ve seen and I’ve heard all the stats that I am the youngest to win at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon the same year,” he said. “I honestly try not to think about it too much. Obviously it’s a really great start of my career, but I have to keep going. I have to keep building my path.

“At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big guys. That’s my main goal. That’s my dream right now. It doesn’t matter if I already won four Grand Slams at the age of 21. If [I don’t] keep going, all these tournaments for me, it doesn’t matter. I really want to keep going. I will try to keep winning and end my career with a lot of [Grand Slam titles].

On court, where Alcaraz wins fans over with the joie de vivre of his tennis, is where Alcaraz puts tennis enthusiasts in awe. But he inspires awe when he speaks as well, and he did that again on Sunday as he demonstrated that he is mature beyond his years, and has dreams as big as his breathtaking game.

“Everything we have done already has been unbelievable, an amazing journey so far,” he said.
As I said, I really want to keep going, to keep improving, to keep growing up, try to keep winning. That’s all that matters for me right now.”

Asked how many Grand Slam titles would satisfy him, Alcaraz wisely left it vague.

“I don’t know what is my limit,” said Alcaraz. “I don’t want to think about it. I just want to keep enjoying my moment, just to keep dreaming. So let’s see if at the end of my career it’s going to be 25, 30, 15, four. I don’t know.”

Lessons learned to future growth

During his press conference Alcaraz was asked about his loss to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals at the 2023 US Open, and talked about how he used the difficult experience as an opportunity to grow.

“I learnt a lot from that match against Daniil in the US Open in 2023,” he said. “I had to be better. I had to grew up and be more mature [in those] situations.”

Alcaraz, who ended his first attempt at a Grand Slam title defence with a 7-6(3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to the eventual runner-up in New York last September, took that loss to heart.

“I gave up a little bit – I remember perfectly. I gave up a little bit in the second set after losing the first one,” he said. “It’s something that is unacceptable playing in a Grand Slam. I knew that these things can’t happen again. It helped me a lot coming to the next Grand Slams, next tournaments to be better in the mental side, to be strong enough, playing best tennis in the close and difficult situations.

“I think I’m here right now thanks to this kind of situations that I learned about.”

The serve, the forehand? Can be better

On Sunday we learned a few new things about Alcaraz.

First, he’s getting better at managing his emotions ahead of big matches like Sunday’s final. He was ready from the start against Djokovic and seemed more relaxed than he was in his three previous major finals.

Second, he hit another level as a server. He it the high 130s on the radar gun and was generally a menace from the service stripe, winning all but nine first-serve points and only surrendering one break, late in the third, as Djokovic tried to mount a last-ditch comeback.

Alcaraz said he recognised he needed to serve better after a poor performance in week one. Boy did he ever do that on Sunday.

“The days off I was practicing the serve,” he said. “I was really focus on the serve to be better. I think I got better in every match that I was playing. Really glad that I had this serve game today because it was really a main weapon that I put in today’s match.”

Stil, at 21, Alcaraz believes he has a lot of room to improve in every facet of his game. Even that legendary forehand.

“I have to keep improving everything, I guess,” he said. “My forehand, at this level I think it can be better. Every year should be better. I think my game in general I think can improve it and deal with the situations. I can’t stop like this one. I have to keep growing up and keep improving.”

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