Carlos Bernardes: “During a flight from Rio to Acapulco, I was in business class when Alcaraz came up to me and said, ‘How is it that an umpire flies business while I’m stuck in economy?’”

Legendary chair umpire Carlos Bernardes, who officially retired at the end of the 2024 season after officiating over 8,000 matches, recently broke his silence in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera.

Asked to share a funny and recent anecdote, the Brazilian official recalled a lighthearted moment with Carlos Alcaraz during a flight between two tournaments in America.

“I’ve traveled over six million miles with various airlines, so I have some frequent flyer points and plenty of experience. Last year, on a flight from Rio to Acapulco, I was in business class. Alcaraz came up to me and jokingly said, ‘How come an umpire is flying business class while I’m in economy?’”