Carlos Alcaraz received a prestigious award at the hands of the Spanish royalty at the El Pardo Palace on Thursday. He received the King Felipe Award, which recognizes him as the best athlete in 2022.
In 2022, Alcaraz had won his first Grand Slam at the US Open. That season, Alcaraz made a mark in the tennis world, winning five titles in total, with a win/lose record of 57/13. Furthermore, that year also saw one of the youngest World No.1 in Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz receives the King Felipe Award to the best Spanish sportsman of the year during the presentation of the National Sports Awards 2022 at the Royal Palace El Pardo, on April 4, 2024, in Madrid (Spain). (Via Imago)
Considering this, and rightly so, the Murcian was bestowed with the prestigious award. King Felipe and Queen Letizia presented the 20-year-old with the honor, who seemed over the moon to have won it.
We’re surrounded by great athletes in Spain in every field. Three or four years ago, I wouldn’t have expected to get this award. I’m very proud of it. It’s really amazing.Carlos Alcaraz on adding another feather to his crown
The Spanish royalty has been following tennis for quite some time. After Alcaraz won the 2022 US Open, they hosted Alcaraz and other tennis players at the Zarzuela palace. Last year, King Felipe also attended the 2023 Wimbledon Finals to witness Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic in a very tight game of tennis.
After the win, the Murcian had thanked the royalty for making his presence felt and jokingly told him to visit more often. So far, Alcaraz has won all of his Grand Slam titles when the King was present in the stadium.
The King honored Carlos Alcaraz and other athletes for their contribution to sports
On Thursday, Spanish pro Carlos Alcaraz won the prestigious King Felipe Award at the hands of King Felipe and Queen Letizia. This award recognizes the people who have made a worthwhile contribution to the sport.
Alcaraz was one of the three personalities to have received the award. Along with him, Susana Rodriguez (paratriathlete and sprinter) and Izan Almansa (basketball player) were also honored for their respective contributions.
After a decent run at the Miami Open and accepting the latest award from his country, Alcaraz now heads on to the clay courts. The Spaniard will play at Monte Carlo for the second time. Back in 2022, he lost in the opener against Sebastian Korda and will aim to do better this time around.
