The Risk Gene: Why Alcaraz Plays Like He Has Nothing to Lose

What if your obsession with tennis, adventure, and taking risks isn’t just a phase—but something hardwired into your DNA?

Meet the DRD4-7R gene. This isn’t just about personality—it might actually be written into your genetic code.

What Is the DRD4 Gene?

Ever wonder why some people are constantly chasing excitement while others are content on the sidelines?

If you’ve taken a DNA test, there’s a good chance the DRD4 gene showed up in your results. Around 60–80% of humans have it. 

So, What’s the Big Deal?

The DRD4 gene affects how dopamine—the brain chemical tied to reward and pleasure—is processed. It produces a protein that binds to dopamine and influences our motivation, behavior, and emotional regulation.

For most people, this gene works just like it’s supposed to:

• • • Normal dopamine activity
    • Average curiosity
    • Steady, balanced behavior

This usually means someone who’s measure. Someone who evaluates risk before diving in. Logical. Rational. Safe.

The DRD4-7R Variant

But in our universe full of energy, everything has an opposite.

That’s where the DRD4-7R gene comes in. It’s the outlier.

This version of the DRD4 gene features an allele sequence that repeats seven times. And that extra twist? It’s linked to a personality that craves more. More risk. More novelty. More stimulation.

People with the 7R variant are more likely to:

• • • Seek out new and extreme experiences
    • Struggle with impulsivity
    • Be diagnosed with ADHD

In short, those with the DRD4-7R gene are wired for adventure. They chase the dopamine high. And when I think of this wiring in the context of tennis, one name flashes bright like a digital messaging board:

Carlos Alcaraz.

Enter Carlos Alcaraz, Born In 2003

At 15, Alcaraz won his first match on the ATP Challenger Tour. At 16, he debuted on the ATP Tour in Rio, outlasting a top-50 player in a gritty three-set battle.

That’s when people stopped and said: Okay, this kid’s different.

He’s already earned $40 million in prize money. 4 Grand Slam titles. He held the world #1 ranking at 19 years old. And perhaps most impressively, he plays with pure joy and makes the impossible look fun.

Footnote: The ATP Challenger Tour is like AAA baseball—stacked with hungry prospects, seasoned vets trying to climb back up through the rankings, and future stars getting reps.)

What His Peers Are Saying

Alcaraz has acknowledged the weight of expectations. In a recent GQ España interview, he said:

“I was number one a few years ago, and I was happy. Now I’m number three, and I’m equally happy. I’m enjoying the journey, the sport, and life.”

But not everyone is on board—veteran and fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut shared a candid take:

“Top-level tennis demands a lot, right? I don’t think Carlos is going to win Grand Slams by going to bed at 7 in the morning… Everything is very nice right now.”

Bautista-Agut added:

“He’s very young, but if he wants to match the numbers of the top three players, he’ll have to play at a high level for 15 years. And well, I consider him an intelligent player and person.”

If you read between the lines, Bautista-Agut’s message is clear: Carlos could be one of the greats—but he has to grow up first.

Does Alcaraz Have the Explorer Gene?

Let’s return to genetics for a second.

The DRD4-7R gene is linked to a greater appetite for risk. And Alcaraz? He’s magnetized to trick shots, high-difficulty plays, and those moments that make the crowd turn to each other and grin. It’s not just showmanship. It’s in his DNA.

He often starts flat, loses a few games—or even a set—then comes roaring back. It’s not physical. He’s got the best coaches and trainers.

It’s mental—he needs the juice. It’s the rush. He’s searching for that feeling.

Alcaraz Is An Explorer at Heart

The truth is: the very thing critics want him to tone down is what makes him electric.

He’s not Rafael Nadal, who approached tennis like a general on a mission. Alcaraz is more like a kid with a dream. Alcaraz plays with energy that’s rare in elite tennis. He toys with opponents like Federer. He’s box office like Monfils and Kyrgios. And he wins. Turns out, that’s all of those things are why people love him. 

There have been other “explorers” before him: Marcelo Rios, Ilie Năstase, Gaël Monfils, and Nick Kyrgios. All unpredictable. All brilliant, all wired differently.

Alcaraz dedicated his entire youth to tennis. Endless hours of practice, a strict diet, bland media interviews, and obligatory sponsorships. He always has to be “on”.

The actual live matches? That’s the fun part. But it’s a tiny part of the job.

So maybe, after all that structure, he needs the chaos. The joy. The thrill of a ridiculous drop shot or an impossible angle.

Maybe that’s how he remembers why he started in the first place—exploring the game with a childlike wonder.