A young boy from Murcia, Spain, stepped onto the tennis courts with a big dream. Carlos Alcaraz was just 15 when he turned pro. By 16, he made his ATP Tour debut at the Rio Open in February 2020. Barely two years later, he lifted his first ATP title at Umag, Croatia, at just 18. His real breakthrough exploded at the 2022 US Open, where he became the youngest male world No.1 in history. Fast forward—he now boasts 5 Grand Slam singles titles and 21 trophies in total. Alcaraz often credits his “fighting spirit” to his biggest inspiration, Rafael Nadal. Now, the story comes back around with its own twist!
On July 27, Tennis Europe crowned 13-year-old Rafael Pagonis as the new U14 European Champion after his brilliant win at the European Championships in the Czech Republic. He began tennis at two and claimed his first major title by defeating Dutch player Lorens Dreiver in the final. The match saw Rafael steady himself after dropping the second set and storm back to win 6-1, 3-6, 6-2. And who does he admire most?
When asked about his tennis idol, Rafael replied, “I’d say Carlos Alcaraz. He plays aggressively, uses the drop shot, and I try to use drop shots like him. He fights, he’s fast. I think we have a similar style. I like trying to play like him.” It’s easy to see why.
Alcaraz’s smooth, daring dropshots left a huge impression on young Rafael, inspiring him to chase his own pro dreams after winning the Greek National Championship at 10. He started in local Greek tournaments by age 6 or 7, and by 10 was competing in Tennis Europe events and soon testing himself in the U.S.
Image Credits: Carlos Alcaraz/Instagram
Climbing from U12 to U14 brought new lessons in grit. After double Greek champion honors at U10 and another at U12, he chased tougher training abroad—in the Netherlands, then Cyprus, and now at Marcos Baghdatis’s academy. He’s even attracted the attention of the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, making his future look very bright. If he’s following in the footsteps of a five-time Grand Slam champion, who knows how far he’ll go?
Carlos Alcaraz has become both a fan favorite and a major inspiration on tour. Rising stars like Joao Fonseca—a sensation in his rookie ATP season—have named the Spaniard as their role model. Carlos, after all, was once in their shoes.
Alcaraz turned his dreams into reality, backed by legendary advice from his own idol, Rafael Nadal. Even after the 22-time Grand Slam champion retired last year, Nadal’s legacy drives new generations. Carlos even had the honor to play Olympics doubles alongside Nadal, later reflecting, “Rafa is an exceptional person, very humble. When you meet him for the first time, he’s just someone like you and me. It was really incredible to be so close to my idol, to learn by his side and also to rub shoulders with him as a person. I had an exceptional experience.”
Now, while Alcaraz once looked up to a legend, the tables have turned—many new stars are inspired by him, both on and off the court!
WTA pro reveals what she hopes to learn from Carlos Alcaraz
Iga Swiatek, long celebrated as the “Queen of Clay” with her four glittering Roland Garros trophies, found the 2025 season tougher than expected. Up through Wimbledon, the Pole chased titles but always seemed to fall just short, including a close call at Bad Homburg. Her luck changed on the hallowed grass of SW19, where she conquered her nerves and pressure to finally lift the Venus Rosewater Dish—her first grand slam on grass.
Yet, the journey’s far from over for Iga. She’s still collecting lessons, both on and off the court. After Carlos Alcaraz lost to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final, his outlook drew admiration from fans and players alike. During the ceremony, Carlos revealed, “I just left the court with the head really, really high because I did everything that I could today. I’m not bad at all. I’m just happy.” That infectious positivity didn’t go unnoticed.
Recently asked about Alcaraz’s attitude, Iga couldn’t help but rave about him. “I wish I was more like Carlos because I got to say he’s a big inspiration in terms of that. He always says that the most important thing for him on a tennis court is to enjoy it and have fun.” She explained, “I sometimes forget about that (fun), with all the pressure around and things you need to do off the court. You need to remind yourself about this kid that started playing tennis instead of winning for somebody and, you know, having this baggage on your shoulders.”
For now, Iga knows it won’t come easy. “Without me working on it, I think my mind would automatically go to just working, working, working.” Even so, she and Carlos share a relentless work ethic—a champion’s drive to keep learning and winning. As the hardcourt swing heats up, could Carlos Alcaraz add a second US Open crown to his name? We’d love to hear your thoughts below!
The post Carlos Alcaraz’s Rise Triggers Bold Statement From Young ‘Rafa’ After Major Breakout appeared first on EssentiallySports.