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United States Carlos Alcaraz 'doesn't like' being called by name as Spaniard makes bizarre confession
Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he doesn’t like it when people call him by his first name as it makes him feel like he’s “done something wrong”. The 19-year-old has become a household name in the sport in a breakout season that has so far seen him win three titles, break the top 10 and now beat Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal back-to-back. But it seems fans will need to stop referring to him as “Carlos” as his glittering young career continues.
Alcaraz is through to a second Masters 1000 final at just 19 years and three days old, also allowing him to surpass Nadal in 2005 as the youngest Madrid finalist in history. The seventh seed elicited chants of “Carlos” in his semi-final victory over Djokovic on Saturday but it seems fans will need to change the way they support the Spaniard as he confessed he didn’t like being referred to by his name.
“I don't like being called Carlos,” the four-time title winner said after his opening win over Nikoloz Basilashvili earlier in the week. Sharing the alternatives fans could use and explaining why he didn’t like the name he continued: “I like Carlitos or Charly.
“Honestly, Carlos seems very serious to me and it seems that I have done something wrong.” And the 19-year-old was even kind enough to offer fans an example, as he revealed he even referred to himself as Charly during his win over Nadal.
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Alcaraz now takes on defending champion Alexander Zverev for a shot at his second Masters 1000 title and fifth overall. He is up to No 6 in the live rankings following his run in Madrid and is already one of the big favourites for the French Open title, so he will be hoping fans start using one of his nicknames as he continues to become an even bigger name in the sport.
The 19-year-old isn’t the only player who has opted to use a different name. Coco Gauff was actually born ‘Cori’, named after her dad like Alcaraz, but is referred to as Coco on the official WTA page. Stan Wawrinka dropped his full name of ‘Stanislas’ shortly after winning his maiden Grand Slam at the 2014 Australian Open. And Nadal’s coach, former world No 1 Carlos Moya, also chooses to refer to himself as Charly instead of Carlos.
