Carlos Alcaraz: The youngest No. 1, the next Spanish superstar, and the one to be scared of. But what truly sets Carlos Alcaraz apart? His smile. “I’m winning all the time because I am smiling. And I always said that smiling for me is the key of everything,” he once revealed. This infectious charisma has resonated widely, even earning praise from Novak Djokovic’s former coach, Boris Becker.

The Spanish sensation arrived in the Californian desert late Monday night, aiming for a successful three-peat bid at Indian Wells. Before facing the media, he hit the golf course and even took an evening practice session. Fast forward to March 5, Alcaraz sat for a pre-tournament presser ahead of the Masters 1000 events. The four-time major champion discussed his shortcomings and talked about a variety of topics. However, it was the highlight of the discussion that piqued German Becker‘s interest.

He acknowledged young Carlitos’s ‘contagious’ smile, stating that not many players in the game’s history are equipped with an enticing charisma as such. Replying to a user’s tweet on X, Becker wrote – “Carlos smile is infectious…in the history of the game, I don’t remember many players with such charisma!”

For those unaware, Becker recently heaped praise on Alcaraz’s childhood idol and 22-time Slam winner Rafael Nadal’s post-retirement fitness level after the former World No. 1 took on an unusual surface for a fun Pedal tennis session at his academy in Mallorca. Amazed to see some of the old Nadal back in action with his quick reactions, the 57-year-old German said – “Rafa still looking fit !”

As for Alcaraz, the young talent has so much to lose, and more much to gain at the BNP Paribas Open. Despite the newly sped-up desert hardcourts promising to change players’ rhythm this season, Alcaraz exhibited confidence and addressed the change with a relaxed attitude. “I think I consider myself a player who adapts very well his game on the surfaces and all the conditions that you’re playing on. I think I play great tennis anyway, even though the courts are a bit faster.”

That attitude will come in handy if young Carlitos wishes to etch his name in history.

Carlos Alcaraz is poised to match Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer’s iconic Indian Wells milestone

Spanish superstar Carlos Alcaraz will look to potentially match a feat shared by two of the greatest athletes of the sport in Tennis Paradise. The 21-year-old will seek to join Swiss Maestro Roger Federer and Serbian Novak Djokovic as the only men to lift three consecutive Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells. For the uninitiated, Federer holds five titles in Indian Wells, with his first three crowns consecutively registered from 2004 to 2006, whereas Djokovic recorded his three-peat reign at the Sunshine Double from 2014 to 2016.

During the same pre-tournament press conference, Alcaraz said of his three-peat: “I’m here to take that pressure. I will try just to enjoy it. Because this tournament, every time that I come here, I enjoy so much practising, playing. Everything for me here is so easy. So all I’m thinking is to enjoy this tournament. I’m waiting the whole year just to come back here.”

The second seed in Indian Wells also addressed the latest adjustments to his service delivery. “I’m still on it, I’m still practising, I am still improving. I’m feeling great. I’m feeling like an upgrade on the serve. So just to keep believing on the movement, on the serve, because I know that there is going to be a great serve.”

For now, all eyes will be on Alcaraz. The No. 2 seed received a bye in the opening round and is slated to hit the court for his Round of 64 contest on Saturday, March 8.