The admiration for Carlos Alcaraz in the world of sport knows no bounds. On Sunday, several Real Madrid players made the trip to the Manolo Santana Stadium to spur on the Spaniard during his third-round clash in the Mutua Madrid Open. The Murcia native, a self-confessed fan of the Whites, enjoyed some very special support from courtside.

Figures such as Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde, Dani Ceballos and Rodrygo were among the Merengues players following the defending champion in his match against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. They enjoyed a close-up show as the tournament’s first seed strutted his stuff on the clay.

Just 19 years of age and a huge fan of football, the Spanish player was delighted to have them on his side. “I still get nervous, I’m not going to lie”, admitted Alcaraz, who had the chance to say hello to the players before leaving for the locker room. “Seeing giants like them in the stand… I’m so happy that they would come to see my match”.

The World No. 2 took the chance to wish the Real Madrid players good luck for the next few weeks, when they will face one of the biggest challenges of the season in their Champions League semi-finals.

“We spoke about how well I played today, and their latest results…”, revealed Alcaraz in his post-match press conference. “We discussed what is coming up for them against [Manchester] City. I wished them luck and they did likewise to me”.

This is not the first time Alcaraz has signs of his close connections with the club from the Spanish capital. The Murcia native, who is good friends with a number of members of the squad, is a loyal fan of the team. Last season, among other occasions, he went to the Champions League final in Paris during his participation in the French Open and watched Real Madrid seal their 35th league title.

Now, with the extra support he received on Sunday, he will be bidding to achieve one of the greatest sporting feats possible in the Spanish capital; defending the throne at the Mutua Madrid Open.