section_path: Off the court/In the media and popular culture
section_name: In the media and popular culture
paragraph_text: In the media and popular culture
  
  Alcaraz made appearances in both seasons of Netflix's Break Point docuseries, and played against Rafael Nadal in The Netflix Slam, a live-streamed tennis match hosted by MGM Resorts International on March 3, 2024. Alcaraz was the subject of the Netflix show Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, which documented his 2024 season and was released April 23, 2025. The three-part series focused on conflict between Alcaraz and his team as he attempted to balance his ambition to make tennis history with the normal life of a 21-year-old. It included appearances from Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Garbiñe Muguruza, Martina Navratilova, Andre Agassi, Björn Borg, and John McEnroe alongside other tennis greats.
  
  In April 2025, The Guardian described Alcaraz as "arguably the most interesting athlete in the world right now". He is known for his signature wide smile and charisma on the court.
  
  In 2024, a media controversy arose when Alcaraz publicly broke a racket for the first time during a match in Cincinnati. He afterwards delivered a public apology. Alcaraz is also known for his willingness to discuss mental health with the media. After his loss in the 2024 US Open, he stated, "I've taken steps backwards, like I'm not doing well mentally, I'm not strong. I don't know how to control myself when faced with problems and I don't know how to handle it." Following a loss at Indian Wells in 2025, he admitted to having felt "nervous the whole day", and following a win in Monte Carlo a month later, that he had been "struggling stepping on the court" and had considered taking an extended break from tennis. Various commentators, including Andy Roddick, Boris Becker, and Andrea Petkovic, have highlighted his unusual candidness about mental health.
  
  Alcaraz has often advocated for professional tennis players' welfare. In 2024, he spoke out several times against the length of the tennis calendar, stressing the frequency of injuries and joking that "probably they are going to kill us in some way". In 2025, he supported fellow Spanish player Sara Sorribes Tormo 's decision to take a break from the sport for her health. He also joined a letter signed by nineteen other top men's and women's tennis players asking that the slams distribute a greater share of their revenue to all competing players.
  
  Alcaraz has often been compared to his compatriot Rafael Nadal, particularly in their native Spain. As a teenager, he was dubbed "baby Rafa" or "young Nadal". However, he and Nadal have both dismissed these comparisons at length.
  
  Alcaraz was featured on the Time 100 Next list in 2022.
  
  Alcaraz made appearances in both seasons of Netflix's Break Point docuseries, and played against Rafael Nadal in The Netflix Slam, a live-streamed tennis match hosted by MGM Resorts International on March 3, 2024. Alcaraz was the subject of the Netflix show Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, which documented his 2024 season and was released April 23, 2025. The three-part series focused on conflict between Alcaraz and his team as he attempted to balance his ambition to make tennis history with the normal life of a 21-year-old. It included appearances from Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Garbiñe Muguruza, Martina Navratilova, Andre Agassi, Björn Borg, and John McEnroe alongside other tennis greats.
  
  In April 2025, The Guardian described Alcaraz as "arguably the most interesting athlete in the world right now". He is known for his signature wide smile and charisma on the court.
  
  In 2024, a media controversy arose when Alcaraz publicly broke a racket for the first time during a match in Cincinnati. He afterwards delivered a public apology. Alcaraz is also known for his willingness to discuss mental health with the media. After his loss in the 2024 US Open, he stated, "I've taken steps backwards, like I'm not doing well mentally, I'm not strong. I don't know how to control myself when faced with problems and I don't know how to handle it." Following a loss at Indian Wells in 2025, he admitted to having felt "nervous the whole day", and following a win in Monte Carlo a month later, that he had been "struggling stepping on the court" and had considered taking an extended break from tennis. Various commentators, including Andy Roddick, Boris Becker, and Andrea Petkovic, have highlighted his unusual candidness about mental health.
  
  Alcaraz has often advocated for professional tennis players' welfare. In 2024, he spoke out several times against the length of the tennis calendar, stressing the frequency of injuries and joking that "probably they are going to kill us in some way". In 2025, he supported fellow Spanish player Sara Sorribes Tormo 's decision to take a break from the sport for her health. He also joined a letter signed by nineteen other top men's and women's tennis players asking that the slams distribute a greater share of their revenue to all competing players.
  
  Alcaraz has often been compared to his compatriot Rafael Nadal, particularly in their native Spain. As a teenager, he was dubbed "baby Rafa" or "young Nadal". However, he and Nadal have both dismissed these comparisons at length.
  
  Alcaraz was featured on the Time 100 Next list in 2022.