TENNIS

Lovely moment as Carlos Alcaraz receives Real Madrid shirt as a gift from fan at Wimbledon

In an unexpected twist, the Spaniard was handed a shirt by a fan that he originally thought was to be signed.

Fans are willing to climb fences, queue for hours and even camp overnight as they try to catch a glimpse of their hero. Sport stars and rock stars are given much the same treatment when it comes to the adoring people who only want acknowledgement and recognition from their idols.

Fans will ask for autographs, photos or just a simple hug or handshake in a memory-creating moment that can last a lifetime: so what do you do when you meet tennis sensation, Carlos Alcaraz? Well, one fan’s idea, Alcaraz thought as he headed out to prepare for the quarter final game at the strawberry-loving Wimbledon against Holger Rune, was to ask for his signature on a Real Madrid shirt, the favourite team of the Spaniard. But the twist in the tale came late on when, after picking up the dropped garment, the fan explained it was actually a gift for the 20-year-old, which Alcaraz took graciously, thanking the fan with a huge smile and shaking his hand.