Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish tennis sensation, has revealed a surprising incident where his choice of underwear nearly led to his disqualification from Wimbledon, the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam.
According to the article, Alcaraz is a two-time champion at the SW19 tournament, claiming victories in both 2023 and 2024. In these reported title runs, the 21-year-old successfully overcame tennis icon Novak Djokovic.
Wimbledon is renowned for its exceptionally strict dress code, which mandates that all players wear entirely white clothing without exception. This rigid rule presented a problem for Alcaraz and almost cost him his place in the tournament.
Speaking on his Netflix docuseries titled “My Way,” Alcaraz shared his thoughts on the event`s regulations:
“I think Wimbledon is one of the most elegant tournaments in the world, if not the most elegant one, be it for its prestige or its rules.” He added that players “cannot step onto the court unless you’re dressed in all white.”
Recounting the specific incident, Alcaraz explained:
“I was wearing colour briefs and you could see them through my shorts, and they called me out on them, saying, ‘Next time, we won’t let you play.’ I mean, this really goes to show you just how strict they can be!”
This warning served as a clear lesson for the World No. 3.
Beyond his Wimbledon experiences, the article notes that Alcaraz has accumulated four Grand Slam titles in his career so far, having won the 2022 US Open and the 2024 French Open, with only the Australian Open remaining to be conquered. He also reportedly reached the Olympic gold medal match at the Paris Games the previous year.
In other recent news mentioned, Alcaraz was forced to withdraw from the ATP 1000 Madrid Open earlier this week due to a right leg injury and issues with his left hamstring. He had sought treatment for his right groin following his defeat to Holger Rune at the Barcelona Open the previous weekend, and MRI scans confirmed an adductor muscle problem in his right leg.
During a press conference, Alcaraz issued a statement regarding his injury and withdrawal:
“I couldn`t practice the entire week and found out I had hamstring and groin injuries. I needed to listen to my body and make the right decision.” He stated, “On Monday I`ll have more medical tests and after that we will have a better idea on how long I`ll be out.”
He expressed regret about missing the Madrid tournament:
“It hurts me not to be able to play here in Madrid in front of my people, my friends and my family.” He elaborated, “It`s not an easy decision because Madrid is the first tournament I have ever been to as a young kid, it`s the most special place for me to play.”
This injury setback comes just over a month before his scheduled title defense at Roland Garros. He was also expected to participate in the Rome Masters and may now have to withdraw from that event as well. Alcaraz ultimately decided that prioritizing his recovery for Roland Garros was a significant factor in his decision to stop playing and heal properly.
