Carlos Alcaraz will be without his longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Australian Open, supposedly due to a recent surgery on Ferrero’s knee.
“The truth is never told, it has to be learned.”
Considering how Carlos floundered after the US Open 2023 with a disappointing 7-5 match record after reaching the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, it would make sense that the 20 year old Alcaraz feels it’s time to make a coaching change and gain a fresh voice with new ideas. Ferrero has been his coach since age 14.
Months ago Boris Becker suggested the progression of Alcaraz stagnated this year.
“Dueling with Djokovic, becoming No. 1 in the world and winning Wimbledon for the first time – maintaining this level is the most difficult thing in tennis,” said Becker, now the coach of Holger Rune. “Anyone can have a good tournament or a good year from time to time, but maintaining that level over the years is the real challenge. My favorite saying in this context is, ‘The locker room never sleeps.’ It means that the other players have realized how you have to play against Alcaraz to have a chance against him. That’s what happened. Other players have developed and Alcaraz hasn’t. He continues to play fantastic tennis. I love watching him play tennis at its best with his footwork, his variation, his serve and his forehand. But the top players have adapted to this and know how to counter it. I’m convinced that Alcaraz will now train something new or different with Juan Carlos Ferrero in the winter and improve.”
The general feeling in the tennis world is Carlos may have peaked at Wimbledon, where he beat Novak Djokovic in five sets in the final. And he’s been mentally burdened by the heavy pressure and expectations of the tennis establishment which essentially said he’s on course to smash Djokovic’s Grand Slam record of 24. So every tournament Alcaraz enters, he’s expected to win, which is a very difficult pressure to deal with.
So if Carlos has decided it’s time to make a change, he would have to do it delicately, because it’s doubtful he would be where he is now, 2 in the world and formerly no. 1, without Ferrero incredible guidance and direction. But a young champion eventually has to spread his wings and fly on his own.
In order to facilitate any kind of coaching changes, such as demoting Ferrero to co-coach or academy training host, Carlos would need to do it gently and with respect. And a phony knee surgery smokescreen for Ferrero would be a clever way to begin the process of making a change.
The image of Carlos as still the student/protege of Ferrero diminishes his aura. To attack 2024 on his own is the more alpha male move. What else can Ferrero teach Carlos at this point anyway?
Alcaraz won six ATP titles this year, including Wimbledon, and achieved a 65-12 match record. After his US Open semifinal run (loss to Medvedev), Carlos endured losses to Dimitrov, Djokovic, Zverev, Safiullin, and Sinner.
Australian Open · Carlos Alcaraz · Juan Carlos Ferrero
