After years of speculation, Carlos Alcaraz finally provided an explanation for the juggling act that has become a viral sensation.
The routine is not a personal hobby or a bid for attention, but rather a direct order from his inner circle. Alcaraz revealed that his physiotherapist, Juanjo Moreno, is the architect behind the drill.
Speaking to reporters with a grin, Alcaraz admitted that he doesn’t necessarily question the science; he simply trusts the results.
“It’s because my physio told me to do it. And I just obey, obey him. So I don’t know if it’s helpful or not, but I took it as a routine. Everything went well since I started to do it, so why sort of change. So I just keep it like that, and if my physio says it or I need to do it, I just, I’m gonna do it, for sure,” he said.
Mastering the rhythm of Roland Garros and beyond
This commitment to the process has transformed a simple exercise into a cornerstone of his athletic identity over the past two years. One of the most famous instances of this ritual occurred in the summer of 2024 during the Paris Olympics.
A clip of Alcaraz juggling in a crowded Roland Garros hallway, oblivious to the staff and players moving around him, served as a masterclass in concentration. By maintaining a steady rhythm and side-stepping with intent, Alcaraz demonstrated the very focus that allows him to remain “unplayable” on the hard courts of California today.
The utility of the habit is far from purely psychological. For a professional tennis player, the ability to track objects moving at high speeds is the difference between a winner and an unforced error. Juggling three tennis balls acts as a neurological “wake-up call,” sharpening hand-eye coordination and reflex speed before he ever grips a racket.
Online footage often shows Alcaraz and Moreno evolving the drill into a collaborative effort, passing balls back and forth to keep the brain engaged in the rapid-fire decision-making that Alcaraz says is the core of his game.
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