Jorge Martin made history by clinching the 2024 MotoGP World Championship on Sunday, November 17. His monumental achievement was later celebrated by compatriot and tennis star, Carlos Alcaraz.
Pramac rider Martin had a strong season, securing enough points to surpass Francesco Bagnaia in the overall standings by 10 points, despite finishing behind Bagnaia and Marc Marquez during the final race of the season.
As a result, Martin became the first rider from an independent team to claim the title in the MotoGP era.
"I don't know what to say. I could not even ride in the last laps, I started crying a bit. It was a really emotional race and I want to thank my people. It has been a really long journey," Martin said after the race (via Free Press Journal).
Martin's compatriot, four-time Major champion Carlos Alcaraz, later celebrated his achievement via his Instagram story. Alcaraz shared MotoGP's official poster showcasing Martin's accomplishment and added a congratulatory message.
"Congratulations Jorge Martin! Big," he wrote (Translated from Spanish).
The World No. 3 last competed at the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin, where his campaign fell short of expectations. He suffered defeats against Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev, managing only a 6-3, 7-6(8) win over Andrey Rublev, failing to reach the semifinals.
Alcaraz will next be in action at the Davis Cup knockouts in Malaga.
Carlos Alcaraz likely to face Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals QF
Carlos Alcaraz will potentially open his Davis Cup Finals campaign against Tallon Griekspoor as Team Spain takes on Team Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, November 19.
The tournament will be held at the Martín Carpena Arena in Málaga, Spain, and Team Spain will look to secure the first Davis Cup title since 2019. Alcaraz is looking to be part of his country’s triumph for the first time.
Alcaraz and Griekspoor have met four times on tour, with the Spaniard winning all their encounters. Their most recent clash was at the 2024 China Open, where Alcaraz dominated the Dutchman with a convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory.
The 21-year-old will be joined by Roberto Bautista Agut, Pedro Martinez, Marcel Granollers, and 22-time Major champion Rafael Nadal in the team. Nadal, a five-time Davis Cup winner, announced last month that the 2024 Finals would mark the end of his professional career.
If Spain reaches the semifinals, they will face either Germany or Canada. Moreover, Alcaraz could face Denis Shapovalov from Canada or Jan-Lennard Struff from Germany in the singles competition.