Carlos Alcaraz has had a rocky start to 2025. His dream of winning a third straight Indian Wells title came to an end after a three-set loss to Jack Draper in the semifinals. Things got worse at the Miami Open, where he suffered a surprising opening-round exit at the hands of David Goffin. Still, the world No. 3 holds a 15-4 record this season. His biggest moment so far? The Rotterdam Open title back in February. Now, the Spaniard seems to be turning things around at the Monte Carlo Masters. And he’s doing it with some sweet support from the sidelines—his little brother Jamie.

The 21-year-old is competing in Monte Carlo for just the second time in his career, and this time, he’s chasing something new: a Masters 1000 clay title outside of Madrid. He kicked off his Monte Carlo campaign with a tricky opener against Francisco Cerundolo. It didn’t start great—he dropped the first set 3-6. But then came the response you expect from someone like Alcaraz. He flipped the match on its head, winning the next two sets 6-0, 6-1. In the following round, he faced German qualifier Daniel Altmaier. Even though his serve wasn’t at its best, Alcaraz used his clay-court magic to glide past Altmaier 6-3, 6-1, and punch his ticket to the quarterfinals.

And guess who’s backing him to win it all? Yep, Jamie Alcaraz. On X, a Carlos Alcaraz fan page posted about a Tennis Europe Junior Tour video. The young players were asked to predict the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters winner. Jamie didn’t hesitate—he picked his big brother. The post read, “Thanks, little bro. 🤜🤛 @TennisEurope Junior Tour players were asked who they think will win the 2025 @ROLEXMCMASTERS — and Jaime Alcaraz backed his big brother. Gotta love the trust. 🫡🥹”

Alcaraz comes from a tight-knit family. He has three brothers—an older one, Álvaro, and two younger ones, Sergio and Jaime. And Jaime, just 13, is already starting to walk the same path as Carlos. In 2023, Jaime won the Rafa Nadal Tour event in Madrid, a title Carlos had also won as a junior. He also clinched a Tennis Europe U14 doubles title and scored a win in the qualifying round of Les Petits As—a prestigious junior tournament in France.

Transitioning from junior talent to rising star, Jaime has caught the eye of many. His game, especially his forehand, has drawn comparisons to Carlos. Tennis legend Boris Becker even said Jaime’s forehand is “identical” to his brother’s.

If, as Jamie predicts, Carlos does win it all, he will be one step closer to World No.1. He is currently sitting at No. 3 in the rankings with 6,720 points. Right above him is Alexander Zverev with 7,645 points. Zverev, however, hasn’t been at his best. He made an early exit from Monte Carlo after losing to Matteo Berrettini. Despite Jannik Sinner’s 3-month absence, neither Zverev nor Alcaraz have taken full advantage of the situation. When Sinner returns at the Italian Open, he’ll still be ranked No. 1.

Alcaraz has opened up about how hard chasing that top spot was. The pressure to reclaim the top ranking during the absence of the banned Jannik Sinner had ‘killed’ him. That’s why he’s trying a different approach this clay season with no expectations.

And he’s hoping his younger brother doesn’t face the same kind of pressure.

Carlos Alcaraz defends his brother Jamie

“I love tennis, but I love even more being the older brother of my little ones. Being the role model for them, not as a tennis player but a person. That is the most important thing — to help them learn about the things that matter in life,” Carlos once said.

Álvaro, the oldest Alcaraz brother, is often the steady hand behind Carlos. He travels with him and even trains with him. Meanwhile, Jaime is starting to find his own spotlight. And the 21-year-old is very aware of what comes with it.

In a chat with Moluskein, Carlos said he worries about the expectations building around Jaime. “I worry that people might overwhelm him too much. I don’t like people pressuring him just because he’s my brother,” he said. “He’s too young to be labeled as the ‘next Carlos Alcaraz.’ It’s tough to have those expectations placed on him. For now, he’s doing great, and I’m proud of him. I’m not home much, but when I’m with him, I try to support him, as well as all my siblings.”

The 4-time Grand Slam champion knows what it’s like to carry the weight of hype and headlines at a young age. That’s why he’s so keen on keeping things grounded for Jaime.

Next up, Carlos Alcaraz will face 12th seed Arthur Fils in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals. He’s got his game, his grit, and his brother’s belief in him. Can he ride this wave and climb one step closer to No.1?