It has been a memorable couple of days for Carlos Alcaraz. After winning his fourth ATP Masters 1000 title on Sunday at the Mutua Madrid Open, the Spaniard met a sports icon on Monday: Lionel Messi.
Both stars were in Paris for the Laureus World Sports Awards, where Alcaraz won the Breakthrough of the Year Award and Messi was named World Sportsman of the Year.
While on the red carpet for the awards ceremony, Alcaraz was asked about being around Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory last year.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never met him before,” Alcaraz said. “It’s crazy to see him here metres from me. It’s crazy, it’s crazy, honestly.”
The red carpet reporter told the 20-year-old that Messi was walking by and he would be able to meet him if he waited a moment.
“I wish to do that, I wish to do that,” an excited Alcaraz said.
Moments later, Alcaraz and Messi shared a warm greeting. That was not the only star-studded meeting he enjoyed that evening. After the ceremony, Alcaraz took a selfie with many of the stars present, from Messi and Robert Lewandowski to World Sportswoman of the Year Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Action Sportsperson of the Year Eileen Gu and Sportsperson of the Year With A Disability Catherine Debrunner.
After the quick trip, Alcaraz will now turn his focus back to the tennis court. The Spaniard will this week make his Internazionali BNL d’Italia debut. He will play countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas or Italian Francesco Passaro in the second round.
Both stars were in Paris for the Laureus World Sports Awards, where Alcaraz won the Breakthrough of the Year Award and Messi was named World Sportsman of the Year.
While on the red carpet for the awards ceremony, Alcaraz was asked about being around Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory last year.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never met him before,” Alcaraz said. “It’s crazy to see him here metres from me. It’s crazy, it’s crazy, honestly.”
The red carpet reporter told the 20-year-old that Messi was walking by and he would be able to meet him if he waited a moment.
“I wish to do that, I wish to do that,” an excited Alcaraz said.
Moments later, Alcaraz and Messi shared a warm greeting. That was not the only star-studded meeting he enjoyed that evening. After the ceremony, Alcaraz took a selfie with many of the stars present, from Messi and Robert Lewandowski to World Sportswoman of the Year Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Action Sportsperson of the Year Eileen Gu and Sportsperson of the Year With A Disability Catherine Debrunner.
After the quick trip, Alcaraz will now turn his focus back to the tennis court. The Spaniard will this week make his Internazionali BNL d’Italia debut. He will play countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas or Italian Francesco Passaro in the second round.