- Carlos Alcaraz looks athletic after victory
- The Australian Open audience whistles and applauds the Spaniard
- The incident caused violent reactions on some social networks.
Carlos Alcaraz has delighted his fans at the Australian Open by showing off his ripped physique during his fourth-round victory on Sunday, but not everyone is happy with the crowd's response.
The 21-year-old star reached the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park, where he will face ten-time champion Novak Djokovic, when Britain's 15th-seeded Jack Draper retired injured while trailing 7-5, 6-1 in his party.
After the match, Alcaraz changed jerseys on the court before his post-match interview and received a great response from the Rod Laver Arena crowd.
The Spaniard's fans whistled and cheered when he saw him shirtless, and many took out their cameras to record the moment.
A woman in the crowd could be seen uttering the word 'Wow!' as he looked at the talented young man.
The moment quickly made its way around social media, with fans commenting on Alcaraz's sculpted physique.
Carlos Alcaraz delighted Australian Open fans by showing off his athletic physique after beating Jack Draper on Sunday
However, some criticized the behavior of viewers, insisting that it would not be acceptable if it was directed towards a woman.
'Imagine if men did this to an athlete. The awakening would come out with force. FWIW, they're good harmless jokes, but they should go both ways,” one fan posted on X.
'Okay, maybe I'm reaching for it, but: it's too sexualized. After all, this person is not a spectacle for us. Imagine this happening to a woman,” posted another.
'Imagine what would happen if it were a female! It immediately turns into harassment,” a third responded.
Fans also noticed Alcaraz performing a cheeky act during his match against Draper.
The world number 3 was caught on camera in a risky moment, taking a mouthpiece that supplies cold air to players and directing it towards his groin after winning the first set.
With the victory, Alcaraz has moved three wins away from becoming the youngest man to complete a career grand slam.
“Obviously it's not the way I wanted to spend it,” Alcaraz told reporters after spending just one hour and 35 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.
The four-time Grand Slam champion is three wins away from becoming the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
Alcaraz has made his way to the round of 16 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park
Draper was backing off after three straight five-set marathons, including wins over hosts Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Vukic in hostile territory.
The 23-year-old Briton said the grueling matches had worn down a hip tendonitis injury that forced him to withdraw from the United Cup.
“Obviously in the preseason, it got into my back and I couldn't walk and it was really difficult,” Draper said.
'We were managing it. Maybe it's some kind of time bomb.
With the temperature hovering around 33°C at Melbourne Park, Alcarez faltered in serving for the first set at 5-3 and protested to the chair umpire at the changeover for an ill-timed shot clock violation.
But the Spaniard steadied himself and sealed the first set with a trademark forehand winner down the line.
The brash Spaniard will take on ten-time champion Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park.
Draper, who prevailed in the pair's most recent home match at the Queen's Club last year, retreated to the locker room between sets for medical treatment but was still restricted upon his return.
Alcaraz is looking to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam after winning titles at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, the US Open in 2022 and the French Open in 2024.
“I'm one step closer,” Alcaraz said when asked if the achievement was on his mind.
“But what I learned in the previous Grand Slam I played applies day to day in a Grand Slam.”