Despite Multi-Millionaire Status, Carlos Alcaraz Discloses Real Feelings Behind His Upbringing in Murcia – ‘Didn’t Have Big Luxuries’

ATP number three star Carlos Alcaraz is a man with a golden heart. This Spaniard’s philosophy is simple yet profound: to be a human first and an athlete second. Motivated by this heartfelt mission, Alcaraz launched his foundation and embarked on a journey to help underprivileged children. As the Spaniard shared his life story with the audience during the event, his humility shone through, drawing comparisons to the grace of Swiss legend Roger Federer.

Alcaraz revealed interesting details about his upbringing. The ATP star was born in Murcia’s El Palmar. His father was a professional Spanish tennis player who later became the tennis director at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia. His mother was a sales assistant at IKEA. Alcaraz started playing at four at the Club where his father worked and quickly showed his talent and dedication to the sport. Today, the Spaniard ATP star has four Grand Slams and has already joined the League of Tennis Big Three by remaining in the top three ranks for three years consecutively. He became one of the highest-paid tennis players in the world with a total earning of $9,850,338 million in 2024. However, the Spaniard revealed that his life wasn’t this luxurious from the beginning.

Tennis commentator and journalist Jose Morgado tweeted Alcaraz’s revelation where he mentioned, “When I was a kid we didn’t have big luxuries. But the small things make the difference. We came from a medium-class family where he had what was necessary. I was always happy with what I had.” His words echoed his simple upbringing like any other normal boy. Alcaraz made this statement during the launch of his exhibition Feet on the Ground in Murcia, which will showcase the 2024 Wimbledon champion’s outfits, trophies, experiences, and four major titles from December 14th to February 15th for free at the Murcia Carcel Vieja’s historic building. This exhibition is Alcaraz Foundation’s first project of its kind and as for the aim, the ATP star said, “We had been very clear for a long time that we wanted to create this project to help children with fewer opportunities. […]” His statement showcased his desire to give back to the society that has offered him so much love and respect.

Carlos Alcaraz Foundation was launched in April 2024 with a mission to help the underprivileged children of Spain with resources, networking, and support through innovative solutions. Through their first exhibition, they have already started their mission of empowering the children.

Undoubtedly, the Spaniard understands the value of money. Not long back, he dropped a practical statement that echoed the tunes of middle-class.

Carlos Alcaraz expressed being “realistic” about playing tennis and making money

When the ATP number three won USD 1.5 million in Riyadh over four days, he made a surprising statement about how this money became an inspiring factor to play the exhibition match in Riyadh in mid-October. “I love playing tennis. You know, most of the time I don’t think about the money. I just play for love or for fun. But you have to be realistic. You have to think that you want to earn money, you know, and that’s it,” he said highlighting his middle-class background that taught him the importance of financial sustainability. “…in Arabia is the most highest prize money ever in the history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me.” concluded the Spaniard. His words carried the practical aspect of survival in a world where money matters. Although he confessed that playing tennis itself feels great for him, he couldn’t deny that receiving money for something he likes is a bonus.

Carlos Alcaraz has proved he is a man of spirit, determination, and skill. More than that, he has proved to be a great human being who aspires to work for underprivileged tennis enthusiasts and give back to the society that has showers him with so much love and respect.