Carlos Alcaraz made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Europe in 2023, one of two athletes to represent tennis in the Sports & Games section.
Alcaraz, who won his maiden Grand Slam last year at the US Open, had a season to remember, winning five titles overall and finishing the season as the World No. 1. By doing so, he became the youngest-ever player in ATP history to end the year as the top-ranked player. The Spaniard won 57 of 70 matches all year, registering more than $10 million in prize money.
Meanwhile, WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who had made the Forbes list in 2022, was honored this year as an All-Star Alumni, alongside long-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigsten and 3D artist Jas Dhatt.
Similar to Alcaraz, Swiatek also had a remarkable 2022 campaign, becoming the World No. 1 in April and staying there for the rest of the year. The Pole won two Grand Slams, at the French Open and the US Open, and won eight titles throughout the year.
The 21-year-old also went on a 37-match win streak between the Qatar Open and the Wimbledon Championships, marking the longest unbeaten run of the 21st century.
Finally, Dutch wheelchair tennis player Diede De Groot also made the list for winning all four singles Grand Slams in 2022 and winning three of the four Slams (Wimbledon runner-up) in doubles.
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek respective top seeds at Indian Wells 2023
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek will lead the men’s and women’s line-up at the upcoming Indian Wells Open. Alcaraz, ranked No. 2 in the world, has been handed the top seeding after Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal from the tournament. The reigning US Open champion, therefore, has a shot at replacing the Serb at the top of the rankings, provided he wins the Sunshine Double.
Swiatek, meanwhile, will be hoping to defend her title this year, which she won in 2022 by defeating Maria Sakkari in the summit clash. Both Swiatek and Alcaraz have won one title already this season — the former at the Qatar Open and the latter at the Argentina Open. Interestingly, they both managed second-place finishes the following week — Swiatek at the Dubai Tennis Championships and Alcaraz at the Rio Open.
After a bye in the first round, Carlos Alcaraz will take on either qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis or wild card Brandon Holt in the second round. Swiatek, meanwhile, will lock horns with either Claire Liu or Alison Van Uytvanck in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round.
