Being Carlos Alcaraz: The Man Behind the Smile

by Mark Hodgkinson

This is a deeply researched biography of the new face of tennis. A man who, at a tender age has achieved more than the stars of the previous generation did at his age. At just 19 years of age, Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open and became the world's youngest number one in the game. At only 21 he had four Grand Slam titles.

For Carlos Alcaraz, everything - from his charm to his star power to his tennis mojo - starts with a smile. It's a performance free of cynicism and radiating happiness.

But does the smile mask a more complex character? One who grew up in humble circumstances in a small village in Murcia. A man with strong family traditions who has a tattoo of his grandfather's favourite saying - 'Cabeza Corazon y cojones (brain, heart and balls) - inked on his left wrist. Mark Hodgkinson talks to those who know him best - including his coaches, family friends, old teachers, and competitors - to provide a fascinating insight into the spartan showman of tennis and a GOAT in waiting.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published August 19, 2025

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not play tennis, but I am a huge fan of watching Wimbledon on the TV, it's really the only sport that I love to watch and I'd love to actually sit on Centre Court and watch a match. My parents are not in the. least sporty, it was my Nana who introduced me to the tennis on TV in the 1980s. I'd go round to her house (just around the corner), and we would watch for hours.

Whilst the 'bad boy' players such as McEnroe and more recently, Nick Kyrgios, are entertaining to watch for a while, I really love the skilled, yet gentlemanly players. Rafa Nadal is my all time favourite and his successor, Carlos Alcaraz has really stolen my heart in recent years.

In Being Carlos Alcaraz Hodgkinson has produced something that is both readable and respectful, that balances the shine of Carlos Alcaraz’s achievements with the grit behind them.

Carlos Alcaraz is already a superstar, even at a young age—Grand Slams, world number ones, comparisons with legends. Hodgkinson digs into that, yes, but also pulls back to show us the beginnings: a modest childhood in Murcia, family influences, the traditions, the sacrifices. We meet coaches, old teachers, competitors. We see the smile, the charm, but also the complexity: what it takes to keep going, the pressures, the expectations.

Being Carlos is very much worth your time. It doesn’t just celebrate a tennis phenomenon; it humanises him. I closed the final page feeling not only impressed by Alcaraz’s accomplishments, but also warmed by the sense of what drives him: heart, humility, determination (and yes, the smile).

[Luma · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Carlitos fan, I loved this. The insight into the life of the most charismatic player on tour endeared this book to me nearly as much as the man himself.

Mark's book is timely and deeply researched, with input from big names in tennis, family friends, and lifelong mentors. The little anecdotes were entertaining and offered a real insider's look into his personality. Besides, and by no means implying Carlitos, as a generational talent, can be replicated, it was a delight to learn the ingredients that created both the phenomenal tennis player and the beautiful human.

This was definitely worth the read for me, as it not only compiled information already available on Carlos Alcaraz but also introduced new bits I was unaware of. It made me interested in what Mark Hodgkinson had to say about in his other book about Novak Djokovic!

Thanks Netgalley and Octopus Publishing for the arc!