Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero talks Rafael Nadal's retirement, how Djokovic & Nadal are going to challenge his ward for Slams, and more
Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero reckons Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are going to duke it out with his ward for Grand Slams this year, along with others like Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
While Ferrero maintains Nadal and Djokovic are the main challengers who can never be taken out of the equation, the Spaniard also believes that there are many on tour right now who have what it takes to win a Major.
"Rafa and Djokovic have earned to be there, you can’t exclude them. Of course, I also give the others a chance. Tsitsipas, Zverev, Rublev, Medvedev, who always gives the level," Ferrero said in an interview with Clay Tenis. "There are many with options to lift a grand slam title, but Rafa and Novak is impossible to take them out of the equation."
Like Nadal and Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz can also win when not playing at his best, noted the Spaniard, who is of the opinion that it is a vital trait in champions that often goes under the radar.
"The good thing about those who are very good is that a bad day gives them to give a great level. Carlos has always had that, since he was a kid, I’ve seen him have bad days when he can get himself together and come back after a very bad set. That has made him win a lot of matches this year," Ferrero said.
The former World No. 1 also spoke about Rafael Nadal's retirement speculations during the interview, predicting that the 22-time Grand Slam champion could continue playing as long as he has the drive to be competitive. Only a physical limitation can prevent the 36-year-old from not taking to the tennis court professionally, according to Ferrero.
"As he has said, [Nadal] still has a lot of desire and I think it is the physical that will set the limits. In 2022 he won titles like two Grand Slams, it is normal that he is still motivated. It discourages you when you no longer give the level," Ferrero said. "As long as he continues to give the level he is giving, he will continue to be motivated. He will retire when he doesn’t feel competitive and is not having a good time."
"To be compared with these players, a little bit of each, for us are magic words" - Juan Carlos Ferrero on Carlos Alcaraz being compared to Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic
With Carlos Alcaraz making history last year as the first teenager to be ranked World No. 1 as a teenager, the Spaniard has drawn comparisons to the Big-3 of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic by various pundits.
Comparisons like that to such legends are "magic words," declared Juan Carlos Ferrero, who also agreed with the assessment. Ferrero believes Alcaraz has the net play of Federer, the mentality of Nadal and the aggressive game style of Djokovic.
"Obviously to be number one you have to have a lot of good things, and comparisons are always there. To be compared with these players, a little bit of each, for us are magic words," Ferrero said.
"On a mental level he is a good player who is growing in that aspect, on a competitive level he is very good, on a stroke level he has that aggression of Djokovic, that approach to the net of Roger and mentally, obviously, Rafa. If you want to compare them with the three, I would go that way," he added.
At the same time, the 43-year-old sees shades of his own playstyle in his charge's game, marveling at the Spaniard's problem-solving ability that continues to improve every day.
"The ability to know how to adapt to problems, which is one of the things I insist on. When you’re young you don’t know how to deal with all the setbacks that arise during the season, and he has grown in that respect," Ferrero said. "The way I train is very much my own: a lot of intensity with very clear objectives. And being a good boy, humble, is a parental upbringing, it comes from home, and I haven’t had to touch anything."