Carlos Alcaraz truly had a memorable season in 2024. Over the past three years, it’s just Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic who can say they’ve won two Grand Slams in the same season, apart from Alcaraz. So, the young Spaniard raised eyebrows when he called this season “challenging” in a recent interview.
At a press conference before the Charlotte Invitational 2024, Alcaraz sat next to Frances Tiafoe from the USA, as well as Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys. The World No.3 was asked to talk about 2024, and the American contingent was shocked with his first statement on it.
So much so that it prompted Tiafoe to sarcastically say that a player winning two Grand Slams would have had a tough season. Alcaraz took it sportingly and laughed at the remark, as did the other players and journalists present. The Spaniard clarified his statement, explaining it was tricky for him to navigate through the 2024 season due to some of the injuries he suffered.
Carlos Alcaraz: “Well, this year has been challenging for me. But at the same time-“
Sloane Stephens turns around in confusion.
Carlos laughs. “Yeah, yeah…”
Sloane: “Really? Tell us about it!”
Frances Tiafoe: “Tough winning two majors…”
— Carlos Alcaraz Daily (@alcarazdaily) December 6, 2024
Just like the press conference, Tiafoe and Alcaraz’s Charlotte Invitational match was lively and exciting, to say the very least. While the American won the exhibition game, what really got the crowd excited was Tiafoe wearing a special No.24 Charlotte Hornets jersey, the NBA team started by Michael Jordan.
After the match, Tiafoe maintained his sense of humor, throwing in a few light-hearted comments at Alcaraz.
“It was time he lost some matches”: Tiafoe after defeating Alcaraz
The US Open 2024 semifinalist revealed in the post-match interview that prior to his match against Alcaraz, he had never visited Charlotte, making the moment “unbelievable” for him. But he made sure to poke fun at Alcaraz first in his speech.
“It’s nice to get this guy out the way. It was time he lost some matches every once in a while. Nah, man. It was unbelievable. I’ve never been to Charlotte. Playing out here, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Me and Carlos tried to put on a show for you guys.”
Big Foe with a BIG win in Charlotte! @FTiafoe takes out Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 6-1, 11-9 to win the Charlotte Invitational.@CLTSports | #CharlotteInvitational pic.twitter.com/8XDfnn9m3m
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) December 7, 2024
Meanwhile, Alcaraz, who won the French Open and Wimbledon titles this season, was full of praise for Tiafoe’s personality, claiming that his ability to smile and be lively is the reason their friendship has been strong till date.
“He’s always smiling, he’s always giving good vibes to all the people. Always laughing, always making jokes. That’s why I think we have a very good relationship off the court. Every time we step on the court, we give the same vibes and enjoy playing tennis.”
Alcaraz and Tiafoe’s bonding is a rare one on the ATP Tour, which is getting more competitive by the day. Still, their ability to maintain a strong camaraderie is a refreshing highlight for many.
