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Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is the ATP Number 1 and the star of the next generation for many tennis fans at the moment. After a two-decade dominance of the big four in Wimbledon, Alcaraz broke their historic run to earn his second grand slam title. While he reached the top at such a young age, he did not do it all by himself.

The Spanish teenage sensation has gained immense popularity over the past two years, and many of his admirers are interested in knowing about the family and support system of Carlitos. 

Carlos Alcaraz Garfia’s parents and their background

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Carlos Alcaraz was born on May 5, 2003, in Palmar, Murcia, Spain to parents Carlos Alcaraz González and Virginia Garfia Escandón. His parents are both of Spanish origin. He has three siblings. The current ATP World No.1 started playing tennis at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia, where his father was the director. He then started playing at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s Equelite JC Ferrero Sports Academy in 2018.

Carlos’ father is the reason he took up the sport. Gonzalez was a professional player during his younger days. When Carlos was four, he introduced him to tennis and became his coach and mentor.

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His mother is Virginia Garfia Escandón. In her twenties, she married Carlos Alcaraz Gonzalez in Spain. Virginia was not a sports fan, but she supported her husband and son in their endeavors.

The 2023 Wimbledon champion has three brothers who go by the names of Alvaro, Sergio, and Jaime. His older brother, Alvaro Alcaraz Garfia, is an actor, while his two younger brothers, Sergio and Jaime Alcaraz, are students.

The effect of parental influence on World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz picked up the sport purely due to his father. Gonzalez works at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia as a director. He enrolled his son in the academy when he was four years old. Seeing the striking talent of his son, he would act as his main coach and mentor for much of his early career. 

His parents have been a constant presence in his life and make sure to support their son in all his endeavors. They cheer him on and help him understand the nuances of being a person who wants to reach the highest level in professional tennis. 

The impact on Carlos Alcaraz’s career

Carlos’ father has accompanied him to a lot of tennis events, including the ATP 1000 Madrid Masters. Carlos Sr. was the one who enrolled his son at Juan’s Sports Academy in 2018. There, he met Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former world number one who became his new coach and helped him improve his technique. 

Along with his father, his mother, Virginia, also attends several tournaments to cheer for Carlitos. She also makes sure that he remains disciplined throughout his time as a player. Handling this level of success at such a young age requires immense effort, and Alcaraz credits his mother for helping him create such a mindset. 

When Carlos Alcaraz’s father was spotted filming Novak Djokovic

While Alcaraz and his family are innocuous, they have created a minor controversy which was dubbed ‘Spygate’. In the recently concluded 2023 Wimbledon Championships, as they were preparing for the semifinals, Novak Djokovic and Carlitos practiced on the same courts. While filming his son to analyze his performance later, Gonzalez also ended up filming Djokovic. 

This event caused an outrage as Djokovic asked for more privacy during his training sessions following the incident. Due to his comments, the tennis fanbase was split about the move of Carlos Alcaraz Sr. While the fans debated heavily, Alcaraz came out quickly in defense of his old man.

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The Spanish player said that his father lived and breathed tennis and watched tapes often to draw a good analysis. He did not have any malicious intent in mind when it came to filming the Serbian, and he was just excited to watch his magic on court. Even the Spanish media came out to defend the player and his father as ‘Spygate’ gained more attention.

Read more – Days After Novak Djokovic’s Privacy Controversy at Wimbledon, Spanish Media Defends Carlos Alcaraz and His Father as They Completely Reject ‘Spygate’ at SW19

Carlos Alcaraz’s gratitude

After having his parents’ support throughout his nascent career, Carlitos has immense gratitude for the same. The Spanish player once said in an interview with Espana Diario, “He knows a lot about tennis…” He then sympathized with his father as he stated, “My father played very well, everyone who faced him says so, but he did not have the opportunity to grow.”

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After his victory over Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, Alcaraz was immensely thankful for his father’s help. He talked about how his father is a big fan of the sport and how he also played a part in his Wimbledon glory. 

Watch this story – ‘Why Is His Brother Taking a Video..Sweet Home Alabama?’ – Tennis Fans React Hilariously to Unearthed Novak Djokovic Underwear Photo

Conclusion

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Alcaraz’s parents, despite coming from different walks of life, joined together to help their son fulfil his dreams. His father understands the specifics of the sport and his mother understands the importance of peace off court. 

Unlike some who have brutal parents, Alcaraz found an understanding coach in his father. Conversely, like other players with tennis parents, Alcaraz found a father who would spend several hours to make sure his son had the best knowledge and facilities to nurture his talent. While he is not the primary coach, Gonzalez, along with his wife Virginia, will continue to support their son in every way they can.