CARLOS ALCARAZ has won his first Australian Open title, becoming the youngest player to complete a career grand slam.
The 22-year-old Spaniard has taken care of business throughout the tournament, winning in straight sets over his first five opponents before defeating Alex Zverev in five sets and Novak Djokovic in four. But it’s Alcaraz’s form off the court that has really been turning heads.
It didn’t hurt that Alcaraz was employing a ‘sun’s out, guns out’ approach for the tournament, hitting the court in singlets and itty-bitty shorts. It’s clear Alcaraz has been in the weight room over the off-season and the results are impressive.
The bashful Spaniard seems amused by the attention his physique is attracting. “I think my fitness coach will be happy,” Alcaraz said in a post-match interview in response to a question about his biceps looking bigger. “Probably, I don’t know. A lot of people told me about it, ‘your biceps, your biceps’ and okay, I’m just happy to hear it’.”
Humble as well as huge, there’s plenty to like about the four-time Grand Slam winner. Here’s a look at how tennis’ most exciting player stays in shape.
Carlos Alcaraz’s workout routine
Since blasting into the ATP top 100 in 2021 as a still gangly 18-year-old, Alcaraz has added a significant amount of lean muscle to his frame, allowing him to add raw power to his technical brilliance and astonishing shot making.
His workouts combine classic strength exercises to add venom to his serve and more punch from the baseline, as well as conditioning drills that give him the endurance base to withstand five-set thrillers, such as the epic duels he had with Djokovic at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Masters in 2023.
Alcaraz utilises resistance bands to build strength without excessive bulk and is frequently captured doing agility drills that help with lateral movement and dynamic court coverage. Rotational core exercises with bands and med balls also increase power, adding mustard to both his bullet-like serve and blistering ground strokes.
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Strength
Alcaraz draws on these exercises to build strength and muscular endurance:
- Dumbbell presses, pull-ups, and push-ups
Builds arm strength for bullet serves
- Squats, lunges, and plyometric jumps:
Improves speed and explosiveness in the lower body to chase down lobs and cut off passing shots.
- Dumbbell presses, pull-ups, and push-ups:
Builds biceps, great for extra oomph on serves and for crushing your singlet game.
- Weighted ball backward rotational throw
Improves core strength for greater all-round power and performance
- Resistance bands:
Offers strength without excess bulk
Cardio
Short sprints:
Improves acceleration, allowing for better court coverage
Exercise bike:
You get high intensity cardio without stressing joints and ligaments
Mobility
Improves fluid and lateral movement, reducing risk of injury, and enhancing ball-chasing abilities
Co-ordination
Juggling: Improves reflexes, reaction time and focus.
What is Carlos Alcaraz’s diet plan?
Alcaraz has followed in the footsteps of rival Novak Djokovic and adopted a gluten-free diet over the last year or so. The world no.3 reportedly made the change on the advice of his physiotherapist, Juanjo Moreno, who suggested it would improve his on-court performance.
Alcaraz’s daily meal plan focuses on fish, vegetables, fruit, and white meat. He eats a tonne of rice and salad and reportedly loves sushi for a quick protein/carb snack. But the Spaniard isn’t overly strict with his eating plan, allowing himself cheat days away from the circuit. “I don’t follow a diet per se, but I do try to take care of myself,” he said in an interview with the ATP. “I’ll eat whatever I want… If something comes my way that I like, I’m happy to take it.”
Here’s a typical day on Alcaraz’s plate:
Breakfast
- Fruit, toast, eggs, coffee, or tea. Alcaraz often consumes whole grain pancakes or waffles with scrambled eggs, spinach, tomatoes, and feta.
- Fruit smoothie with Greek yoghurt, berries, banana, chia seeds, almond milk, and green tea or black coffee.
Pre-match
- Alcaraz eats fish the night before a match.
- Just prior to walking out on court Alcaraz eats a gluten-free mixed pasta with cocoa cream.
Cheat days
Burgers and pizza.
Related:
How does Carlos Alcaraz compare at 20 to tennis’ all-time greats?
