Carlos Alcaraz opened up about disturbing messages he receives on social media following his victory over Adam Walton in the Queen's tournament. The Spanish tennis star didn't hold back when addressing the darker side of his online interactions.
"Some are positive, some encourage you, but others are really brutal. I won't repeat exactly what messages I've received, but they're very heavy and some even scare you," Alcaraz admitted after advancing to the next round.
The young Spaniard's comments came in response to a recent report published by the WTA and ITF revealing that female players received approximately 8,000 threats through social media in 2024 alone. Alcaraz acknowledged social media's dual nature—an essential professional tool that simultaneously exposes athletes to unchecked criticism.
"Social media is an important tool for work and many things, but it's also a double-edged sword because many people can reach you," he explained. "When things aren't going well, when you lose early, when you lose matches you shouldn't lose, that's when people leave their comments."
Interestingly, despite his candid discussion about online abuse, Alcaraz quickly shifted focus to his upcoming match. He'll face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar on Thursday, against whom he holds a 2-1 head-to-head record.
"Jaume is a great competitor. Some might think his style is more suited to clay, that he feels more comfortable on clay, but his competitiveness inside is incredible," Alcaraz noted about his countryman.
The world-class player plans to improve aspects of his game that weren't clicking against Walton as he aims to get more comfortable on grass. Will this mental resilience against both online trolls and on-court challenges help Alcaraz secure another victory at Queen's?
