It was the day before his first match at the Miami Open, and @carlitosalcarazz had given over a fraction of his morning for this Vanity Fair cover shoot and interview. Prior to his arrival on set, there was some anxiety in the air. But it cleared once he walked in. There are, of course, readily available clips online of the player being a gent: sweeping clay courts himself after practice rounds, greeting staffers and fellow players with the same warmth. And yet it’s hard to prepare for Alcaraz’s disarming niceness. On the court, when he hears his fans cheer, Alcaraz points to his ear to encourage them to scream louder. He vigorously huffs and puffs and assuredly kicks his racket in between serves. In person, Alcaraz is more gentle than he lets his professional persona reveal. He’s tennis’s greatest contemporary showman. Read @eljosecriales’s full cover story on the young tennis phenom at our link in bio. Photographer @ethanjamesgreen Fashion Editor @dara._ Hair @tamastuzes Makeup @emikaneko Set Design @tuna.bird Production @selectservices