Carlos Alcaraz's dad reveals private chat with mum after being forced into U-turn

Carlos Alcaraz's dad has admitted that he did not always believe that his son was destined to be a top tennis player. The Spanish ace has already won five Grand Slam singles titles in his young career, most recently triumphing over Jannik Sinner in their dramatic French Open final.

Alcaraz, who won at Queen's on Sunday, will aim to become Wimbledon champion for the third successive year when the tournament gets underway next week. The 22-year-old has twice defeated Novak Djokovic in Wimbledon finals. While he still has a long way to go to match Bjorn Borg and Roger Feder's open era record of five consecutive titles, the prospect of his son rivalling all-time greats did not immediately occur to Alcaraz's father.

In a short documentary produced by , the reigning Wimbledon champion recalled: "I always asked my father to play on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. I remember that many days I ended up angry with him."

Explaining his initial reluctance to help his son hone his skills, Carlos Alcaraz Gonzalez admitted that he failed to spot his potential. "When he was little, Carlos would say to me, 'No, I want to play one more; I don't want to go home," Alcaraz Snr said during the Carlos Alcaraz - New Frontiers documentary.

"It's just that my expectations weren't that high, to be honest." However, Alcaraz Snr clearly remembers the moment that changed his perception of his son's burgeoning talent.

"The first tournament of the Nike circuit in Madrid," Alcaraz Snr explained. "You were 10 years old, and I had already seen your opponent in previous rounds and thought, 'We won't get past this. It's impossible.'

"When you finished the match, I went out into the hallway and called your mum to say: 'You can't imagine how your son has played; it was incredible. He drove his opponent crazy.' From then on, I thought you were destined to be a tennis player."

The documentary saw Alcaraz return to Club de Campo Murcia, where he trained in his youth. One of Carlos's brothers, Alvaro, admitted: "I was competing and saw that the little one, four years younger than me, was catching up and beating me."

Only five years after his dad's realisation, Alcaraz turned professional as a 15-year-old in 2018. He won his first major at the US Open four years later. In 2024, Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon, as well as earning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.

He has continued to be in strong form this year, winning five singles titles, including his hard-fought victory at Roland-Garros. World No.2 Alcaraz had little time to prepare ahead of his most recent success at Queen's as he switched from clay to grass ahead of Wimbledon.

"I just got used to the grass really quick, and I'm just really proud about it," Alcaraz said after clinching the title at Queen's. "My goal was complete, and I'm not talking about lifting the trophy or making the final.

"It was just to feel great, to feel really comfortable on grass once again. So what I'm more proud about this week is the way that I have been improving every day. Since the first day until today, I think I'm a different player on grass."