TENNIS
Alcaraz talks about his “sacrifices” after winning the Laureus Sports Award
The Spaniard won the 2023 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award and admitted that he had to go through lots of sacrifices to get to this level.
Many athletes had a great 2022 and delivered great performances in different sports. But probably the most impressive rise in terms of establishing himself in the elite was the one recorded by Carlos Alcaraz in tennis.
Carlitos, who has lifted 10 ATP titles as a professional, won five of them last year, including the US Open last September.
Last year, Alcaraz became the youngest player in tennis history to grab the world No. 1 spot and also the youngest man to win any Grand Slam since Rafael Nadal in 2005.
These achievements, besides his victories in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona,, and Madrid last season, made him win the 2023 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award.
The Murcia native, who will overtake Novak Djokovic on the top of the ATP rankings when he plays in the Italian Open, beat nominees including Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, the Moroccan national football team, and figure skater Nathan Chen, among other athletes.
Alcaraz’s secret: hard work and sacrifice
There’s no doubt Alcaraz has a natural talent for the sport, but his worth ethic has been what made the young player become a star.
In his speech after receiving the award, the main favorite to win Roland Garros admitted that all his successes are the consequence of dedication and teamwork.
“In my sport, I’m alone on the court, but there’s a team behind me and without them, it would not be possible. I’d like to thank them for everything we’ve been doing together and all the sacrifices and pain we go through”, Alcaraz said.
Carlos recognized that in his quest to start winning titles, he had to deal with lots of mishaps and hard times that he managed to go through thanks to his family and coaches.
“There have been some hard times. The truth is that being able to overcome them with the support of my team and my family and to be able to win and to have this award means a lot to me”.
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil has already lifted four titles in 2023 after winning in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, and Madrid.
After his impressive performances on clay, the sky’s the limit for Alcaraz now, who seems ready for a huge challenge: winning the Italian Open and Roland Garros.