Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz was with the King and Queen of Spain today! At El Pardo Palace in Madrid, King Felipe and Queen Letizia presented Alcaraz with the ‘Rey Felipe’ award for the best Spanish athlete of the year during the 2022 National Sports Awards ceremony. However, the question remains as to why these awards are being presented in April 2024.
According to the Spanish Royal Family, “the King and Queen presided over the presentation of these awards, which recognise people and entities that have significantly contributed to promoting physical and sporting activity.” During the ceremony, King Felipe and Queen Letizia were accompanied by Pilar Alegría, Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, and José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, President of the Higher Sports Council (CSD).
This was not the first time Alcaraz met Spanish royalty. In September 2022, after winning the US Open, King Felipe hosted Alcaraz and other tennis players at the Zarzuela Palace. And, last summer, King Felipe attended the Wimbledon men’s final and watched Alcaraz defeat Novak Djokovic in a thrilling match. The Spanish king sat in the royal box alongside the British royal family (Kate Middleton, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George).
After winning, Alcaraz said: “It’s special to play in front of royalty. King Felipe, I’m so proud that you’re here supporting me. When I played in front of you twice, I won twice. I hope you come back more! It’s really special and I have to thank you for coming and supporting me.”
The clay court season begins next week, with Alcaraz playing the Monte Carlo Masters.
