Fans were treated to Carlos Alcaraz’s documentary on Netflix this year, focussing on his life and career. Titled ‘Carlos Alcaraz: My Way’, it showcased the Spaniard’s life outside the court. Due to the documentary, Alcaraz has also been receiving criticism for his party lifestyle, which was shown. He said, “Right now my biggest fear of all is ending up seeing tennis as an obligation. Sometimes I feel like I am enslaved to tennis and that causes anxiety, frustration, doubts.”
He claimed that he partied in Ibiza after his semifinal defeat to Novak Djokovic at the 2023 French Open, and it angered his agent Albert Molina. He said, “I ended up going and they know what I’m going there to do. In Ibiza, I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty much all about partying and going out.”
“I basically went there to reventar (burst), I’m not sure if that’s the best way to put it, but I went there to go out. I really made the most of it because I knew I might not get another three days like that.”
The 2023 season, which Alcaraz is talking about, saw him win the Wimbledon title. He revealed that he went to Ibiza again after last year’s French Open. Reacting to the documentary, Roberto Bautista Agut said, “I don’t think Carlos will win Grand Slams by going to bed at seven in the morning.”
Rafael Nadal on Carlos Alcaraz’s Netflix documentary
But former player Rafael Nadal, who retired last year, has rushed to Alcaraz’s defence. Speaking to L’Equipe, he said, “I think there’s this debate because the documentary released on Carlos seemed to reflect this.”
“However, knowing Carlos a little, I think the documentary doesn’t reflect his personality or the way he lives his career. He doesn’t come across as a tennis player who trains, but as someone who likes to party, who needs it, who isn’t very professional. It’s just not true.
“Carlos is a great professional. He’s a person who works very hard to bring his tennis and his physique to the highest level. I think the documentary was approached in the wrong way, because people’s perception is different from what his real life,” he added.
Alcaraz is set to be in action in the French Open, and he will face Kei Nishikori in the first round on Sunday. He recently won the Italian Open, defeating Jannik Sinner in the final.
