Coach Ferrero: 'Tennis is not just about Djokovic'

Tennis coach Carlos Alcaraz believes that anyone in the top 10 can win major tournaments, although Novak Djokovic is the top candidate.

"I don't think Alcaraz's main opponents in the Grand Slam are Sinner and Djokovic," coach Juan Carlos Ferrero said in an interview with AS newspaper on March 3. He thinks that top stars like Alexander Zverev or Daniil Medvedev can go deep and win the Grand Slam this season.

Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon 2023 final after five sets, thus winning the second Grand Slam of his career. Photo: ATP

According to Ferrero, the fact that Alcaraz lost to Medvedev and Zverev in the last two Grand Slams is proof of the fierce competition of the current ATP Tour. He said: "Every opponent needs to be respected. People are talking too much about Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic. To me, the real level of the rest of the top 10 is not much different."

The Spanish strategist admitted that Alcaraz is facing more and more difficulties. But he is not worried about his student's eight-month title drought. "We were just one point away from winning the Cincinnati Masters, then we lost the US Open semi-finals, then the Australian Open quarter-finals," Ferrero said. "Among such good people, you cannot win them all. Alcaraz has a way to go and we are not worried about the number of titles we missed. At 20 years old, Alcaraz wants to improve the most."

Coach Ferrero was absent for the first three months of the year because of knee surgery. Alcaraz is therefore led by coach Samuel Lopez - who is the teacher of fellow tennis player Pablo Carreno Busta. Alcaraz is also supported by experts, including a newly appointed full-time fitness coach. According to Ferrero, students still have many points in their playing style that need to be improved, such as the ability to serve and control emotions.

"We're trying to do everything we can," Ferrero said of his goal to help students improve. "The important thing is that Alcaraz knows where he is, is happy with what he is doing and has big things to aim for."