Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time Wimbledon champion, has shared a surprising story about how he was nearly prevented from playing at the prestigious tournament due to his choice of underwear.
The Spanish tennis sensation has conquered the grass courts of SW19 twice consecutively, claiming the title in both 2023 and 2024. On both occasions, the 21-year-old overcame tennis icon Novak Djokovic in the final.
However, Wimbledon is renowned for its exceptionally strict dress code, which mandates that all players wear entirely white clothing. This rule is enforced without exception and, as Alcaraz revealed, it almost cost him his place when he wore colored briefs.
Speaking in the Netflix docuseries `My Way`, Alcaraz described Wimbledon as potentially the most elegant tournament globally due to its long-standing prestige and adherence to rules.
“I think Wimbledon is one of the most elegant tournaments in the world, if not the most elegant one, be it for its prestige or its rules. You can’t step onto the court unless you’re dressed in all white. I was wearing colour briefs and you could see them through my shorts, and they called me out on them, saying, ‘Next time, we won’t let you play.’ I mean, this really goes to show you just how strict they can be!”
This strict warning was enough for the world number three to ensure he complied with the dress code going forward.
Alcaraz currently holds four Grand Slam titles. In addition to his two Wimbledon trophies, he won the US Open in 2022 and the French Open in 2024, leaving only the Australian Open for him to conquer to complete a career Grand Slam.
In more recent news, Alcaraz was forced to withdraw from the ATP 1000 Madrid Open this week due to a leg injury. He had been experiencing issues with his left hamstring and required treatment on his right groin during his recent match at the Barcelona Open. MRI scans subsequently confirmed a problem with his right leg abductor muscle.
During a press conference, he elaborated on his withdrawal:
“I couldn`t practice the entire week and found out I had hamstring and groin injuries. I needed to listen to my body and make the right decision… It hurts me not to be able to play here in Madrid in front of my people, my friends and my family. It`s not an easy decision because Madrid is the first tournament I have ever been to as a young kid, it`s the most special place for me to play. But [prioritizing Roland Garros] was a big part of my decision to stop and recover properly.”
This injury comes as a concern just over a month before the French Open (Roland Garros), where Alcaraz is scheduled to defend his title. His participation in the upcoming Rome Masters tournament is also now in doubt.
