Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has taken fierce backlash after attending a bullfight in Spain. Animal rights organisation PETA publicly called out the 20-year-old for the way he chose to spend his downtime after crashing out of the US Open.

Alcaraz looked on course to add a third Grand Slam title to his CV as he powered through the rounds at Flushing Meadows. Wins over the likes of Dan Evans and Alexander Zverev set up a semi-final clash with Daniil Medvedev, where he eventually came unstuck.

Novak Djokovic won the title in Alcaraz’s absence, avenging his defeat in the Wimbledon final earlier this summer. The Spaniard returned to his homeland after falling short in New York.

Earlier this week, Alcaraz was spotted at a bullfighting event in Plaza de Toros, near where he grew up in Murcia.

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The youngster’s appearance did not go down well with everyone, and PETA released a social media statement imploring him never to attend another bullfight. “Carlos Alcaraz, bullfighting is torture, not culture,” it read.

“There is nothing entertaining about the stabbing and torturing of animals – and the majority of young people in Spain reject bullfighting as the bloodsport it is.

“The calendar is very demanding, there is still a lot of season left, and now I have to recharge my batteries. Good luck to the Spanish team! I will be supporting you strongly! Come on!”

Alcaraz has asserted himself as a legitimate challenger to Djokovic’s dominance this season, spending weeks as the world No 1 and banking just shy of £8million in prize money since the turn of the year.