Carlos Alcaraz's new weapon at Wimbledon that has him 'performing at 100%'
Carlos Alcaraz is on a quest for his third consecutive Wimbledon title, and will face off against Andrey Rublev in the round of 16. The young Spaniard, who has already conquered Italy's Fabio Fognini, Britain's Oliver Tarvet and Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff, is eyeing his sixth Grand Slam trophy and his third at SW19 in a row.
But it's not just his tennis prowess that's catching attention; fans have spotted an unusual blue patch on Alcaraz's chest – a high-tech aid helping him combat the sweltering London heat.
This innovative patch is designed to monitor his sweat and fluid levels, ensuring he stays hydrated and ready to perform at his peak.
The 22-year-old previously sported the patch during his victorious French Open campaign, where he beat Jannik Sinner in a thrilling final. It's not just about tracking sweat loss; the patch also provides crucial data on how much hydration Alcaraz needs to maintain his top game.
Alcaraz, always on the lookout for an edge, spoke candidly about his unique accessory, explaining: "I always say that details make the difference. Yes, it's something to control sweat, to know what I should take during matches, before matches, to be at 100%.
"It probably only helps me one or two percent more. But I believe, as I said, that details make the difference.
"It's something I work on sometimes. I did it in Paris. I use it here to see what I should take."
Addressing the scorching conditions sweeping the UK, he added: "Yes, this week, last week, and I think next week it's going to be quite hot. So I think it will be great to know what I should take more of-more water or whatever."
The innovative SweaTracker patch is the brainchild of tech firm Sweanty. Established in July 2021 by the enterprising duo Llorella and Laura Ortega, Sweanty clinched the top spot at the Allianz Startup Challenge's second instalment in March 2024.
The company has also roped in a team of scientific experts to refine the patch. While still in the development stage, the SweaTracker is expected to launch commercially early next year, with its profile boosted by Alcaraz's glowing recommendation.
"The patches allow us to analyse sweat and propose personalised hydration guidelines," explained Anna Llorella, co-founder. The firm is actively conducting hands-on sweat assessments and perfecting the final version of the patch.
An accompanying app is in the works, enabling users to access their custom hydration advice. Over on the Sweanty website, they tout the product as "the first smart patch designed to analyse your sweat and transform that data into personalised hydration strategies."
The device also purports to measure a person's sweat rate and the loss of key electrolytes simply by being placed on the skin during exercise.
It isn't the first instance of the Spanish sensation utilising cutting-edge technology to boost his performance either, reports the Express. In November 2024, he sported a nasal strip at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam to assist his breathing.
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