Carlos Alcaraz’s triumph at the 2024 French Open marked a moment he had been building towards for almost a decade. After defeating Alexander Zverev in the men’s final on June 9, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis star shared a heartwarming throwback photo to commemorate his journey.

On Monday, June 10, Alcaraz posted a side-by-side image on X, showcasing his transformation from a young boy watching the French Open beneath the Eiffel Tower to a Grand Slam champion. The photo captures the fulfillment of a dream, with the left side showing a young Alcaraz engrossed in a 2015 first-round match, and the right side revealing the proud moment of him holding the French Open trophy.

Alcaraz captioned the image with a simple “Buenos días ,” letting the powerful visual do the talking.

The story behind the throwback photo is just as captivating. Alcaraz’s former coach, Carlos Santos, shared that the young tennis prodigy had traveled to Paris for a junior tournament, which led to him experiencing the French Open in person. It was a memorable trip, as they explored the city, walking along the Seine and taking in the iconic sights.

Continuing his tradition of commemorating major tournament wins with tattoos, Alcaraz plans to get an Eiffel Tower tattoo on his left ankle, adding to his collection of meaningful body art. “I have to find the time. But I will do it for sure,” he affirmed in the post-tournament press conference.

Speaking to CNN, Alcaraz expressed how much winning the French Open meant to him, sharing that he had been following the tournament since he was a child. “This tournament, I’ve watched it since I was 5, 6 years old,” he said. “Running from school just to put the TV on to watch this tournament. For me, being in this position right now is so, so special.”

With the intense competition now behind him, Alcaraz hinted at taking some well-deserved rest before diving into the grass season and defending his Wimbledon title. “Honestly, I’m exhausted,” he admitted. “Physically, it was a really tough one. It is a dream come true for me. I really wanted to lift this trophy one day. It’s a great feeling.”