"In Grand Slams, which is 5 sets and having to play against Nadal and Djokovic, you have to keep the level" - Juan Carlos Ferrero on Carlos Alcaraz's biggest obstacles at Majors
Carlos Alcaraz has sent the tennis world into a frenzy with some incredible performances this season. The Spanish teenager's rise on the ATP circuit this year has been the stuff of legend and he is now aiming to take another big step with a Grand Slam title. His coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, believes Alcaraz is well on his way to achieving that goal.
A former World No. 1 himself, Ferrero believes Alcaraz has all the ingredients to win a Major title. However, he stressed that the biggest challenge for the Spaniard will come in best-of-five-sets matches against Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
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Speaking in an interview with El Larguero, Ferrero opened up about the 19-year-old's Grand Slam prospects, saying he has "tremendous desire and ambition."
"Mentally he has tremendous desire and ambition. But in the Grand Slams, which is 5 sets and having to play against Rafa and Djokovic, you have to keep the level. A lot of things have to happen to win it," Ferrero said.
Ferrero stressed that he and the rest of Alcaraz's entourage would do everything in their power to ensure the Spaniard could fulfill his dream.
"Are you ready? Yes. Is it going to happen? My hope is that yes. He's ready. He's already said it: it's a very clear goal of his. step by step. We have the illusion and we are going to prepare it as much as possible," continued Ferrero.
Even before the 2022 season started, Carlos Alcaraz was touted to make it big. However, the pace at which he has progressed so far this year makes him a serious contender at Grand Slams going forward. The Spaniard won his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami and followed it up with another in Madrid this past week.
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Will Carlos Alcaraz be ready for the French Open?
Carlos Alcaraz suffered an unfortunate ankle injury in his Madrid quarterfinal win against Nadal. While he did not let it affect him too much en route to defeating Djokovic and then Alexander Zverev to win the title, he decided to be cautious and skip the ongoing Italian Open.
Ferrero provided an update on Alcaraz's injury, saying it was a grade 1 tear. However, the Spaniard is confident the 19-year-old will be fully fit for Roland Garros later this month.
"The ankle was a grade 1. Not going to Rome I think it was a good decision for the ankle to rest. Yesterday he got up with the most swollen ankle. A blister was quite ugly. The freshness that he is going to get this week resting and filling the gas tank on a physical level... The decision was ours," Ferrero added.
The Spanish coach also pointed out one thing he wants Alcaraz to improve on, with the French Open approaching.
"Perseverance. Sometimes he wins well, he gets a little confused on a mental level. He goes well and goes down a bit. He plays three games at a spectacular level and then goes down a bit," said Ferrero, when asked about what he wants to work on with Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz started the year at No. 32. He is already up to No. 6 in the rankings and could very well climb much higher if he were to win a maiden Grand Slam title soon.