"I think he will be able to win even Roland Garros this year; he has no ceiling" - Carlos Alcaraz's childhood coach Kiko Navarro
Carlos Alcaraz's first coach Kiko Navarro believes his one-time protege is capable of triumphing at Roland Garros this year.
Alcaraz has taken the tour by storm, becoming the first player to beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at a claycourt tournament. With his burgeoning quality and blistering form, many believe he'll be one of the heavy favorites in Paris this year. Navarro feels no different.
When asked by Cadena Ser about Alcaraz's potential, Navarro said that the teenager has no limits and could soon climb atop the rankings. Navarro also pointed out how Alcaraz could benefit from the fact that Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer won't be at their peaks for much of his career.
"He has no ceiling. I am very clear that he is going to be number 1 and on top of that it will not take long," Navarro said. "He always burns the stages very quickly and is two steps ahead of the rest; in the end he catches a time in tennis in which not even Federer will be, neither Nadal nor Djokovic. He has entered in a bigger way than even Nadal. I think he will be able to win even Roland Garros this year. He has no ceiling."
When asked to describe his first impression of Alcaraz, Navarro highlighted how he was in awe of the Spaniard's quality even when he was a child.
"When I was 4-5 years old, I remember when he played with his father, and I was very surprised," said Navarro. "It was spectacular, and I remember it as if it were yesterday; he was hitting the ball with his father, when the normal thing is not to hit the ball. He painted for a very big player, and it's already being seen."
Navarro explained how Alcaraz's ability to absorb the biggest of returns was second to none, even at an early age. He added that the teenager possessed a 'winning spirit' from his childhood.
"As a child, especially technically, he handled all the blows in a spectacular way. It was not normal for his age," said Navarro. "That was what struck me the most. Later, his winning spirit was very striking; his character in the big quotes as seen."
"He loves tennis but off the court, he was a bit messy" - Kiko Navarro on Carlos Alcaraz
During the same interview, Navarro also revealed how Alcaraz was not the most diligent student initially but eventually mended his ways.
"You had to push him a lot. He loves tennis; but off the court he was a bit messy, but he changed the chip when he saw everything behind him," said Navarro.
Navarro also revealed that he and Alcaraz have a long-standing challenge. The coach will have to sacrifice his long locks should Alcaraz ever win Roland Garros.
"Yes, we had a promise," said Navarro. "I have long hair all my life, and I always wanted it to be cut. The promise was that if he won Roland Garros, I had to be peeled."