Carlos Alcaraz, currently the world’s highest-ranking men’s tennis player, has just placed an order for a new Sunreef Ultima 88. The Spaniard tells BOAT how he fell in love with yachting and how he plans to spend time on board…
What’s your earliest memory of yachting?
When I was a child, my uncle had a boat – every summer he would take it to Fuerteventura for two weeks, inviting his friends and family along. We would spend three days going to different places and staying on board. It was a long time ago, but I remember how beautiful it was to see everything from another perspective.
What made you fall in love with the idea of having a yacht?
On a yacht, it’s so peaceful, it helps you to stay away from everything, so you can just be with your close people, relaxing, not thinking like a tennis player. At this point in my life, I thought, all right, I really want to get a yacht and feel this way more often. The privacy is amazing – in my life, sometimes you have thousands of eyes looking at you, but when you’re on a boat, you don't have to care about anything else.
How are you planning to spend a day on board?
On my perfect day on board, I would wake up and watch the sunrise, have breakfast and a swim. Then I’d play some games before lunch, take a nap, and probably do some watersports. I’d end the day by watching the sunset, playing board games again, having dinner, and laughing with my friends before going to bed. I think that would be a perfect day!
Would you be happiest anchored in one place?
I am not happiest anchored in one spot; I like to explore. I like to see different places, try different things – just to see if I'm going to like it or not. The feeling of not trying scares me.
How do tennis and yachting go relate?
Tennis is about control and precision; the ocean is unpredictable. It’s a contrast, but at the same time, there are a lot of similarities. Tennis can be unpredictable because you don’t know what an opponent is going to do. It’s about how we adapt to go forward the best we can.