Carlos Alcaraz: "I use social media a lot, but on a personal level, it's a very ugly world"

Carlos Alcaraz recently offered his honest take on the current advent of social media and how he navigates through it. While the Spaniard finds it to be a great avenue to promote himself, the dangers of vicariously living through other people's feeds are real to him as well.

Alcaraz has enjoyed yet another stellar season on the ATP Tour in 2025, winning five singles titles and compiling a 48-6 win/loss record in his matches thus far. The 22-year-old is currently taking some well-deserved rest after making it to the title matches at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the last two months.

Outside the tennis court, Carlos Alcaraz remains a formidable online force with 7.5 million followers on Instagram. The five-time Major winner is also quite active on the microblogging site. However, he is self-aware of the downsides of regular social media use, and especially the negative influence it can have on an average person's psyche.

Speaking to the Financial Times this week, the World No. 2 conceded that social media could be a "very ugly world" at times, before emphasizing that it enables anonymous trolls to spread negativity.

"I use social media a lot and it's not a very good environment - not to say a horrible one. It's become a very important tool for work, but on a personal level it's a very ugly world. In the end nothing on there is real," Carlos Alcaraz said. "People show a life that isn't really theirs, a face that's not theirs. And then aside from that, there are a lot of people who can reach you with a simple comment and can hurt you. I think that there is no worse weapon than words."

For what it's worth, Alcaraz isn't too affected by the oft-crude nature of social media as he has a healthy support circle around him.

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Carlos Alcaraz on his family and friends: "They were there when you were nobody"

According to Carlos Alcaraz, people should lean more on their "real friends" for support and validation. He also asserted that being in the company of his family at his Murcia home between tournaments is what reaffirms him the most.

"Those are your real friends, because they were there when you were nobody and tennis was just a hobby," Alcaraz added. "And when you are with them you feel normal, you feel that you are not a tennis player and you are not famous. You go back to your childhood - and that's a beautiful thing ... Being back home is what refills my energy tank."

The Spaniard is next scheduled to play at the Cincinnati Open, which begins next Thursday (August 7). The 22-year-old finished runner-up at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in 2023, losing in a titanic three-set battle to Novak Djokovic.