Carlos Alcaraz qualified for the semifinals of the 2023 ATP Finals after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final round-robin match. After the win, he paid homage to superstar soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo through his trademark celebration. The Portuguese icon commands the biggest fanbase on Instagram and has a massive online presence. Hence, fans on social media reacted to Alcaraz’s tribute to Ronaldo.
Needing a win to guarantee a smooth qualification for the semi-finals, Alcaraz exacted revenge for this 2023 US Open semi-final loss. He defeated Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 to advance as the Red group winner. The Spaniard salvaged his maiden ATP Finals campaign and reached the final four stage after losing the opening encounter.
Following his dominating victory, lifelong soccer fan Alcaraz paid a small homage to Ronaldo. He signed the camera after the match, writing ‘Semis! Siuuu’ on the lens. The latter is the former Real Madrid star’s trademark celebration that he does after scoring a goal. The World No.2 is a hardcore fan of the Spanish soccer club. It is no surprise that he idolises Ronaldo, indisputably the team’s best player in recent times.
Alcaraz has often talked about Real Madrid and their players in his interviews. The club is one of the most popular globally and Spaniard is just one of the millions of fans they have.
While Alcaraz is just getting started, Ronaldo has crafted a legendary career for himself. His spells across clubs like Madrid and Manchester United have garnered him an astounding 612 million followers on Instagram, the most for any celebrity. His 110.2 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) put him in the top 5 most-followed on the platform. Alcaraz is already one of the most recognisable tennis faces worldwide but he has a long way to go before matching Ronaldo, be it in popularity or career honours.
Fans react to Carlos Alcaraz referring to Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic celebration
Cristiano Ronaldo’s immense popularity meant the homage from Carlos Alcaraz reached far and wide. Fans on social media reacted to the tennis prodigy paying tribute to one of soccer’s all-time greats. One user called them both GOATs as another said the two-time Grand Slam winner is destined for greatness like Ronaldo.
More fans gushed over the homage from Alcaraz, hailing Ronaldo’s ‘influence’. One user said the Spaniard is now his favourite tennis player
Carlos Alcaraz will now face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, adding another chapter to their blockbuster rivalry. The winner will face either Medvedev or Jannik Sinner in the final for the ATP Finals crown.
