Post-match celebrations in tennis are always fun to watch. Some players keep it classy, others get a little creative. Novak Djokovic has recently been celebrating by pretending to play the violin. He holds his racket like a violin and mimes bowing the strings. Turns out, it’s a sweet gesture for his daughter, Tara, who’s learning the instrument. But then, you have celebrations that make headlines for different reasons. Like Ben Shelton’s phone call celebration, where he mimed hanging up the phone after a win. Carlos Alcaraz, the current World No.2, is used to winning. However, his recent victory had a different celebration this time!
After a slow start to the year, Alcaraz is back to business. The Sunshine Double didn’t go as planned, as for the first time since 2021, he couldn’t grab a win there. But the clay season came knocking, and the Spaniard answered in style. First stop? Monte Carlo. The 21-year-old made his debut at the tournament and left no room for doubt. He took down Lorenzo Musetti in the final and lifted the trophy, silencing critics and jumping back to World No. 2. And how did he celebrate? Not alone, that’s for sure. Alcaraz brought in all the ballkids. They huddled up and jumped around together — a pure moment of joy.
Fast forward to the Barcelona Open – In the semifinal, Alcaraz beat No. 14 Arthur Fils in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. The match lasted just 76 minutes. And after sealing the win, he had another celebration ready. This time, he slid on the clay with his arms wide open. But it wasn’t just for the cameras. In his post-match interview, Alcaraz shared what it was about and said, “The celebration was for my team. They tell me every time during the match about a thing that I have to do. It wasn’t a dance. But it was something for them.”
Carlos Alcaraz on his celebration after reaching Barcelona final:
“The celebration was for my team. They tell me every time during the match about a thing that I have to do. It wasn’t a dance. But it was something for them.” https://t.co/wZDKtE2Y4G
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 19, 2025
This isn’t new for him. Alcaraz is also known to draw inspiration from soccer. At the Paris Masters last year, after a second-round win, he copied Neymar’s move — tongue out, hands on the side of his head. And that’s not all. At the Shanghai Masters, he wrote “Siuu” on the camera, a shoutout to Cristiano Ronaldo. So, can we see another celebration at the final of the Barcelona Open? Especially since it’s so close to his heart.
Carlos Alcaraz reveals why the Barcelona Open is extra special for him
That final is going to be a big one. It’s Alcaraz’s third ATP final of the season, after Rotterdam and Monte Carlo. And he’s on a 14-match winning streak in Barcelona. He has won the title there in 2022 and 23 and is gunning for a three-peat on Sunday.
There is another reason why it’s so special. “Since I was a little kid, I was here on Sunday’s watching the final,” said Alcaraz. “I played twice here, so being in a final here in Barcelona again means a lot. In front of my people, my friends who came from Murcia, and of course the people here in Barcelona. It’s been a really fun and great week, and let’s see if we can end tomorrow with a trophy.”
But one man could spoil the party — Holger Rune. The sixth seed is no pushover. He stormed past Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 to make his second ATP final of the year, following his run in Indian Wells.
Two young stars. One title. A lot on the line. Alcaraz is going for the three-peat in his home tournament. Rune is chasing his first Barcelona title. Who will rise to the moment? Let us know in the comments below!
The post “Wasn’t a Dance,” Carlos Alcaraz Open Up on Special Celebration After Exhilarating Victory at the Barcelona Open appeared first on EssentiallySports.
