Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz went from playing on the lush green lawns at SW19 to clay at the Hopman Cup. However, there is a particular moment from Alcaraz’s that has gone viral. A young ballboy’s reaction of genuine awe at seeing the Spaniard has caught the eye of fans on the internet.
The boy can be seen looking at the Wimbledon champion with a starstruck expression on his face. This moment was captured during the doubles match when Alcaraz was playing against David Goffin and Elise Mertens.
This funny yet heartwarming footage was posted by Tennis TV Twitter with the caption “When the Wimbledon Champion is *right* there.” The video has gone viral since it was posted.
When the Wimbledon champion is *right* there 🤣🤩#HopmanCup @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/qrLdx7C2Ro
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 21, 2023
Fans took delight in it as one user commented #BestReactionEver.
— Pumpernickel 🇵🇱🇬🇧🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@SportTeaDogs) July 21, 2023
Another user commented that they would react in the same way, “I’d have the exact reaction!!” Some people are split over the reaction- one group thinks it was because of Alcaraz. Another group thinks it was because the Wimbledon champion hit an amazing forehand shot.
Whichever the case might be, one has to admit that this is a genuinely wholesome reaction from the young ball boy. A lot of people would react the same way if they saw their idol mere feet away from them.
Carlos Alcaraz makes his Hopman Cup debut
The world number one Carlos Alcaraz played his first match since defeating Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller in the Wimbledon final. He looked a bit rusty but managed to defeat David Goffin. Alcaraz took a while to adjust to playing on clay after playing on grass for weeks. He did not look as polished as he did last week and only snatched victory during the super tiebreak.
Despite coming close to losing against the Belgian, Carlos showed us glimpses of his brilliance. He stunned the crowd and Goffin alike with his famed drop shots and forehands down the line. He was, in other words, a human highlight reel.
Some of these shots today from Carlos Alcaraz 🤯
Convinced he’s a human highlight reel 👏pic.twitter.com/bdoMFylEAu
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) July 21, 2023
Alcaraz came back from a set down to defeat Goffin 4-6, 6-4, [10-8]. Despite winning his singles match, Alcaraz could not prevent Spain from losing. Elise Mertens got the better of Rebeka Masarova 7-6(3), 2-6, (10-5). This tied the scores at 1-1.
It came down to a decider- a mixed doubles match, to determine the winner. Unfortunately, the Spanish duo were defeated by the Belgian duo of Goffin and Mertens 3-6, 1-6.
While this particular match may not have gone the way they would have wanted, there is no need to lose heart just yet. Alcaraz will want to find his dazzling form before Spain takes on Croatia next.