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Ardent Real Madrid Fan Carlos Alcaraz Walks In Compatriot Rafael Nadal’s Footsteps as He Rocks the US Open With ‘Hey Jude’ Celebration

Published 09/07/2023, 3:24 AM EDT

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Given his 12 singles ATP singles titles at the young age of 20, there is no denying that Carlos Alcaraz has quickly risen to the very top of the tennis realm. With a stellar display of his on-court prowess, the Spaniard continues to play tennis fervently, but his passion extends beyond that sport. Apart from tennis, the current World No. 1 is an avid fan of soccer and has rarely left any stone unturned in showcasing his support for the ‘La Casa Blanca’, Real Madrid.

Now, after his quarterfinal victory at the US Open, the 2-time Grand Slam champion recently took his Madrid fanboy moment to the next level. On the tennis court, the 20-year-old player recently pulled off the signature celebration of Los Blancos’ star midfielder, Jude Bellingham. The Spanish tennis sensation seems to be following his compatriot, Rafael Nadal‘s footsteps in more than one way.

Carlos Alcaraz emulates Jude Bellingham’s iconic move on the court

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jude Bellingham are two youngsters in the world of sports who are currently grabbing a lot of attention owing to their phenomenal performances. After joining the La Liga club this season, the British soccer star has already bagged five goals in just 4 match appearances, making him the current top scorer. Alcaraz, on the other hand, has been on a roll at the US Open as he has reached the semifinal of the US Open after his thumping win against the 12th seed German, Alexander Zverev. Apart from their recent success in their respective sports, both the 20-year-old prodigies now might have another common thread.

The gesture under discussion came to the public lens after Alcaraz’s 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory in New York, where he caught the attention of fans for his post-match celebration. Emulating Bellingham’s signature move, the Spaniard also held out his arms while receiving cheers from the audience in the stadium. On his Twitter, Alcaraz also shared a picture of himself imitating the Madrid star player’s iconic move and captioned it, “Hey Jude! 🙌🏻 @BellinghamJude”.

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In pulling off Bellingham’s signature move, the current world No. 1 is now following his compatriot, Rafael Nadal’s footsteps in more than one way. It is hardly surprising since Alcaraz has idolized Rafa ever since he was a young boy!

The common threads between Alcaraz and Nadal

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Apart from their on-court accolades and Grand Slam successes, there is another common thread between the two Spanish tennis stars. Their love and admiration for the soccer giants in the top-tier Spanish league, Real Madrid is unmatched. Just like Alcaraz, the ‘King of the Clay’ is too is an avid Madrid fan and a regular attendee at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

via Reuters

While speaking about his passion for soccer in his book, Nadal also revealed how he used to wake up at five in the morning to watch his favorite team’s matches. It is because of the different time zones when the former World No.  1 was someplace like Australia to mark his participation in tournaments. The ATP legend also adjusted his training sessions around the scheduling of Madrid matches. Apart from this, Nadal was also among the Los Blancos fans at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, when Real Madrid overcame Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.

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What do you think about the Spanish tennis stars’ support and admiration for the soccer club? Let us know in the comments section.

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer.

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Written by:

Anurag Gusain

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Anurag Gusain is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. Being a huge tennis fan, he enjoys watching the Spanish legend Rafael Nadal dominate other superstars on the ATP Tour. His coverage of Nadal's 14 French Open titles has been hailed as some of the best in the business, showcasing his talent for storytelling and his ability to capture the essence of the sport.
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Edited by:

Mitali Dey