On Saturday, Carlos Alcaraz won his 26th career title at the Qatar Open, defeating Arthur Fils in the final.
French star Fils, who reached his first final since returning from a long injury layoff, simply could not live with the Spaniard, eventually losing the contest 2-6, 1-6.
It was a dominant performance from Alcaraz, who has now won nine ATP 500 events; the same number that Andy Murray won before his retirement in 2024.
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Despite being only 22 years old, Alcaraz is quickly becoming a legend of the sport, just like his compatriot and idol, Rafael Nadal.
Nadal is far from the only sportsperson Alcaraz admires, as demonstrated by his comments from 2024.
Carlos Alcaraz said he admired Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler in 2024
During the 2024 Miami Open, Alcaraz attended an NBA game between the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors, where he met basketball superstars Stephen Curry and Chris Paul.
Speaking to the ATP Tour, Alcaraz discussed his experiences meeting ‘big celebrities,’ highlighting the influence of Paul Gasol [pictured below, left] and Jimmy Butler.
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“I’m lucky to have met some great athletes, and also big celebrities, which in a way continues to really surprise me,” said Alcaraz.
“It’s still hard to believe I’m one of those celebrities. But I met Pau Gasol recently, someone who I’d really wanted to meet.
“I met him in Las Vegas. He’s really an incredible guy. Jimmy Butler too. Those two have been the most special celebrity encounters I’ve had.”
“I admire both him [Jimmy Butler] and Pau Gasol because of that winning mentality, their professionalism, because they want to improve every day and look at the finest of details to become a better athlete.
“But above all I admire that they are great people off the court. That’s really very, very important to me, as is having a winning mentality. It’s something to be admired and it’s something I try to learn from them.”
Who are Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler?
Gasol is widely regarded as the greatest Spanish basketball player in history. Gasol played 18 seasons in the NBA, winning two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant.
Gasol, who played primarily as a power forward during his career, retired from his playing career in 2021.
Butler [pictured below], who was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2014, is one of the best two-way players in the NBA and has led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023.
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Butler currently plays for the Golden State Warriors alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.