At the age of 16 Carlos Alcaraz was approached by one of the most recognized faces of Spanish tennis. Juan Carlos Ferrero, the legendary Spanish tennis player, turned coach, is nothing short of a mastermind when it comes to producing champions. With a career that spanned over a decade, Ferrero’s aggressive baseline play and fierce forehand left a lasting impact on the tennis world. “My family told me that Juan Carlos wants to be my coach. I was in shock.”, said Carlos in an interview.
From the moment Alcaraz joined Ferrero’s academy, the veteran coach saw ‘the next big thing’ in him. With his trademark intensity and dedication, Ferrero began shaping the young player’s raw talent into a formidable force on the court.
🥇 Carlos Moya
🥇 Juan Carlos Ferrero
🥇 Rafael Nadal
🥇 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘇The fourth 🇪🇸 man to become world number one. 👏 @carlosalcaraz | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/1oDYaukDoY
— Live Tennis (@livetennis) September 11, 2022
Ferrero’s coaching strategy for Carlos was simple. Carlos says that Juan believes in hard work, discipline, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. He always instills these values in all his players. We can see him encouraging him to push beyond their limits and strive for greatness.
“I think he needs to grow as a person definitely. He’s young so he needs to improve a lot of things at this age. He’s starting to play at a very good level. We’ll see how its going to be in the future.” said Juan. As Alcaraz continues to make his mark on the ATP Tour, there’s no doubt that Ferrero’s guidance and expertise will continue to play a pivotal role in his success.
What does the future look like between Alcaraz and Ferrero?
The future between Alcaraz and Ferrero looks bright and promising. The young Spanish tennis star has already achieved impressive success on the ATP Tour. Additionally, after winning his first major with Ferrero by his side, their partnership seems to be flourishing with each passing day.
Ferrero’s wealth of experience, technical expertise, and dedication to his players make him an invaluable asset to any player looking to achieve success in the tennis world. Moreover, Alcaraz and Ferrero have amazing chemistry. They share a strong bond and mutual respect for each other.
“His rise has been really quick, it’s a surprise for everyone except me, because I practice with him every day and I know what he can do. I was sure that if this wasn’t this year, it would be the next.”
Juan-Carlos Ferrero on Carlos Alcaraz pic.twitter.com/2uPIK5R0h1
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) December 15, 2022
Ferrero’s coaching expertise has also been recognized by other players, including Alexander Zverev, whom Ferrero coached for a brief period in 2017. Zverev spoke highly of Ferrero’s coaching skills.
Looking ahead, it seems that Alcaraz and Ferrero’s partnership will continue to be a successful one. Ferrero has spoken about his long-term plans for Alcaraz. He said that he sees him as a future World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion. Finally, Alcaraz has also expressed his desire to work with Ferrero for the foreseeable future. He stated in an interview with Tennis Head that he has no plans to change coaches anytime soon.