Alcaraz Explains His Unusual Celebration After Reaching Barcelona Final

Carlos Alcaraz is not known for elaborate celebrations, but the Spaniard explained his unexpected action after beating Arthur Fils at the 2025 Barcelona Open.

Many fans hoped for another thrilling battle between Alcaraz and Fils. The Frenchman came close to defeating the world No. 2 in the quarterfinal of the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters, a tournament Alcaraz ultimately won.

However, the match in Barcelona was very different. Alcaraz dominated and comfortably overcame Fils 6-2, 6-4. It moved him closer to a third consecutive title in Barcelona when he was fit to play (he missed last year with an injury).

As always, Alcaraz saluted his home fans after beating Fils, stepping into the centre of the court to take their acclaim. Surprisingly, the 21-year-old did a brief celebration that had never been seen before.

Alcaraz's celebration can be watched below. He put his hands to the side, bent his knees, and shimmied from side to side before applauding the spectators inside the stadium for their support.

Fans were left scratching their heads, wondering about the meaning of the celebration. Alcaraz was asked about it in a post-match interview and revealed it was for his team, but did not elaborate further.

Alcaraz not wanting to reveal what his team always tell him to do is understandable before a significant final. Holger Rune, the Spaniard's final opponent, probably would have tried to use such information to help him.

The team might be telling him to stay low or maintain his balance based on the celebration. However, it is impossible to know for sure, and fans can only speculate unless Alcaraz reveals more precise details.

Alcaraz was not the only man who created headlines for his celebration. Some online fans criticized Ben Shelton for allegedly showing arrogance in his celebration after defeating Borna Gojo at the 2025 Munich Open.

Shelton later clarified that he was copying Bayern Munich player Michael Olise's celebration. It was clearly not meant to be arrogant or disrespectful of Gojo, who pushed the American to a deciding set tiebreak.

Alcaraz and Rune's final promises to be a superb battle. Rune, who has had challenges in the last 18 months, produced stunning tennis to reach that stage in Barcelona, especially in the last two rounds against Casper Ruud and Karen Khachanov.

Ruud was the defending champion, but got swept aside by Rune in straight sets. The Dane also entered the match with a 1-6 head-to-head against his fellow Scandinavian, making the result even more stunning.

Although Rune undoubtedly has a chance, Alcaraz remains the favorite for the match. He is seeking his 15th consecutive match win at the Barcelona Open and seems to thrive most in front of home Spanish support.

Beating Alcaraz in the Barcelona Open final would be a contender for the best win of Rune's career. The other obvious choice was his triumph against Novak Djokovic in the 2022 Paris Masters final.