Alcaraz –“I Know I’m Living a Dream Life”

By Erik Gudris | Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Photo credit: Rolex

Carlos Alcaraz may not be playing right now, but he’s causing a stir on the clay right before Roland Garros.

And that’s literally on clay.

Alcaraz, who is missing the rest of the clay court season as he recovers from a wrist injury, is featured in a first-ever global sports issue of Vanity Fair that focuses on athletic superstars, including A’ja Wilson and Kylian Mbappé.

In addition to a new interview, Alcaraz shows off in a series of photos, literally covered in clay from head to toe, while wearing a mix of Louis Vuitton and Nike clothing. The photos were shot recently at the Miami Open.

Alcaraz, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open in January, reveals in the interview that while he is living his “dream life”, he’s also trying to find a balance between tennis and having a life outside the court.

“I know I’m living a dream life, a life I dreamed of,” Alcaraz says. “But I sometimes wish I could have more moments for myself, to do things a 22-year-old guy would do.”

Part of doing things for himself has included some surprise haircuts in the past few years that have sometimes divided and shocked fans. That includes going bleach blonde once and then getting a severe buzzcut before last year’s US Open.

“Listen, I try for it to not be a disaster, but if there’s something I want to do, I do it,” Alcaraz says about those looks. “If I were to listen to everyone’s opinion, I’d go crazy, right?”

Alcaraz also speaks about his rivalry with Jannik Sinner as both men continue to dominate the men’s tour at such a young age.

“We’re showing the world that we can be on court and give our best, and try to do the most possible damage to the other while playing, try to beat each other, and then, off court, just be two guys who get along really well,” he says. “We help each other give our best.”

“We are fighting for the same goal, but there’s no need to hate each other because we want the same thing,” Alcaraz adds, “When you are competing at this level, having a close friendship is complicated. It can be done. I’m all for it.”

As Alcaraz continues to chase tennis history, inevitably comparisons will be made to former greats. That includes Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic himself recently said Alcaraz combines “the best of all three worlds,” aka “The Big Three.” It’s a comparison that Alcaraz appreciates but also notes that he is his own person.

“We’ve reached a point in which comparisons are over. It’s really cool. But I’m always going for my own style, it’s what I’ve created and I’ve trained to perfect it. I haven’t copied anyone. People now know that I am Carlos Alcaraz.”

The complete interview can be found here.