Australian Open fans have come under criticism for “over-sexualizing” Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard defeated Jack Draper in their last-16 match in Melbourne. The 21-year-old Alcaraz changed his shirt after the match, drawing whistles and cheers from the crowd as they noticed him shirtless in the blistering heat. A video of the moment went viral, with one fan visibly mouthing “wow.”
However, not everyone appreciated the reaction, with some viewers accusing fans of “over-sexualizing” Alcaraz and pointing out a perceived double standard in how male and female athletes are treated in similar situations.
One social media user, @mtalks44, wrote: “Okay maybe I’m reaching but: He is over-sexualized. This is a person, after all, not a spectacle for us. Imagine this happening to a woman.”
Another user, @RyanDMartin, added: “Imagine if men did this with a female athlete. The woke would be out in force. FWIW it’s good harmless banter, but it should go both ways.”
A third commenter, @The_Real_Ela, said: “Just think what would happen if it was a female! Immediately, it becomes harassment.”
Alcaraz’s victory came as a result of Jack Draper’s injury-related retirement. Draper, 23, was trailing 7-5, 6-1 before pulling out of the match due to a hip injury he described as a “ticking time bomb.” Just 48 hours earlier, Draper had played a grueling five-set match against Aleksandar Vukic, which may have contributed to his injury.
Though Alcaraz wrote a supportive message for Draper on a court-side camera, he admitted that he didn’t want to win in such a manner. “Obviously it’s not the way I wanted to get through to win matches,” Alcaraz said. “When I see someone that has to retire because of an injury, for me it’s not an easy moment.”
“I couldn’t tell anything to Jack in that moment. Just wish him a good recovery. I saw him in the locker room [and wished] that I could speak more with him about it. But I just said that I’m going to see him soon, playing his best again.”
Despite the disappointment, Draper expressed pride in his efforts. “Considering everything, I’m incredibly proud of my efforts. My tennis has been pretty bang average. The whole week, it’s been really poor, actually. But it’s been my competitiveness, my fight, and my desire to win that has got me into the last-16 of a Grand Slam, which is something I’m very proud of,” Draper said.
Alcaraz will now face Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown.
