There’s a moment, just before a champion becomes a legend, when the world pauses to watch the smallest details. And in Turin, as Carlos Alcaraz walks through the corridors of the Inalpi Arena—racket bag heavy on his shoulder, destiny even heavier—the cameras catch him smiling. Not the smile of a man chasing a staggering $5,071,000 (prize money for an undefeated champion at the ATP Finals) jackpot, but the smile of a boy who remembers where he came from.

Born in El Palmar, Murcia, to parents Carlos Alcaraz Gonzalez and Virginia Garfia Escandon, Carlitos has one elder brother, Alvaro, and two younger brothers, Sergio and Jaime. There have been plenty of instances where he has proved that he always keeps his family first. Yet again in Turin, when he was asked if the potential fortune would inspire him to finally move out of his family home, he didn’t hesitate. The answer was, “Not for now. I’m very happy at home with my parents and siblings. It’s true that my older brother Álvaro has already moved out. But since I spend so little time at home, every time I’m back, I love being with my family. My mom misses me and still wants me at home.”

Carlos Alcaraz’s father worked as the tennis director at their local club, which was built by Alcaraz’s grandfather, while, according to Vogue, his mother worked as a shop assistant at IKEA. He has time and again spoken about how his parents always pull him to the ground every time he wins a tournament or wins an amount of money. He claims that his parents always stay there to put his feet on the ground. In the same interview with Mundo Deportivo, Alcaraz was asked if his parents still spoil him more now.

In reply, the Spaniard said, “Sometimes, yes. I can’t cook, and my mother is an amazing cook. As I’ve said before, nothing beats her food. It’s always great to come home.“ Previously, in an interview with the Sunday Times, ahead of his 2024 Wimbledon campaign, Alcaraz raved about his mother’s culinary skills by saying that she cooks paella (a rice dish originally from the Valencian Community in Spain) really well. Also, he didn’t forget to mention Andalusia (soup made with a mix of meats), which he claimed was his favorite soup. So, according to Carlitos, Chef Virginia was “another reason why I like to be at home.”

What else did he say in that interview with Mundo Deportivo? Well, Carlos Alcaraz also spoke about the parent-child relationship. He revealed, “When I get home, I’m the same Carlos as always—not the tennis player, not the world No.1, none of that. At home, there are rules, and they want the best for me. Sometimes they don’t set a curfew anymore, but they still tell me: Don’t come back late, do this, do that. And when I don’t follow through, they scold me.”

He claims that being at home brings an extra amount of peace to him. It gives him the calmness that he needs to keep travelling all year long. Different players have different methods of managing the heavy workload that is added along these hectic schedules, and Alcaraz has certainly figured out his own. But amid all these, it’s now time to wrap up a successful season in an emphatic manner for the Spaniard. One mission is already accomplished! Can he secure the next one?

What did Carlos Alcaraz say after beating Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Finals?

A season-long chase that pushed both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to their limits has finally come to an end with the Spaniard’s 6-4, 6-1 victory over Lorenzo Musetti in the final group stage match of the ATP Finals. With this win, Alcaraz has not only entered the semifinals, remaining undefeated in the competition, but also secured his world number one crown for the second time in his career.

Previously, during the interview with Mundo Deportivo, he was asked if Sinner is a “necessary rival“ for him. In reply to that, he said, “Necessary, necessary. He’s necessary for me, for tennis, and for sport. Everything he does, everything he generates. For me, he’s essential because competing against him all year forces me to give my best—and pushes my team to give 100 percent. I’m grateful he’s there making me a better player.“ Now, after securing his year-end world number one crown, he yet again spoke about how overwhelmed he was with this close chase with the Italian.

“To be honest, at the beginning of the year, I saw the #1 really far away. Jannik being there winning almost every tournament he plays. From the middle of the season til now, I set a goal for #1 because I thought it was there. I had a chance to play great tennis in a lot of tournaments in a row to put myself closer to Jannik for the #1. In the last 3 or 4 tournaments of the year, fighting toe-to-toe with Jannik for this spot, and finally I got it,“ said Carlos Alcaraz in his post-match interview.

But he doesn’t want to stop here. Alcaraz claims that only a part of the job is done. Now, his goal is to win the ATP Finals. Next up for him in the semis will be either Alexander Zverev or Félix Auger-Aliassime. Can Alcaraz give his family another chance to celebrate a big moment in 2025?