I think it will be difficult for Alcaraz to win a Grand Slam next year

Todd Woodbridge, a historic winner of 22 Grand Slam titles in doubles, spoke out about the situation of Carlos Alcaraz following his recent split from Juan Carlos Ferrero as his coach. In statements to the official Instagram account of the Australian Open, Woodbridge analyzed the impact of this change on the Spanish player’s chances for the upcoming season.

“I believe it will be difficult for Carlos to win a Grand Slam next year. We know he is capable, but I find this change puzzling at this stage of his career. We are talking about one of the best player-coach duos in history,” commented the Australian.

The influence of Ferrero on Alcaraz’s game

Indeed, Ferrero and Alcaraz ended a partnership that has been with us for over 7 years a few days ago. A period that spans from Carlitos’ early steps in the professional circuit to the definitive rise of the Murcian to the top of the tennis world, with 6 Grand Slams in between.

Woodbridge detailed that Ferrero’s presence had been crucial for Alcaraz’s consolidation in recent years: “When Juan Carlos was not by his side in the last years, Carlos didn’t play as well. You could see him looking towards the stands, more insecure. It will take him months to get used to this situation.” According to the Australian, Alcaraz’s mental growth cannot be understood without Ferrero, someone who perfectly knew his game and emotions on the court.

Jannik Sinner, the big beneficiary

Woodbridge highlighted Jannik Sinner as the major beneficiary of this change in Alcaraz’s team: “Given this change, I believe Jannik has an advantage and will achieve the triple in Melbourne.” Remember that Sinner has clinched the title in the last two editions of the oceanic Grand Slam, and his dominance on fast courts has become evident in recent times.

The former doubles player emphasized the importance of continuity in the player-coach relationship, especially in the most demanding tournaments like the Grand Slams. “It will take Carlos months to get used to this new situation,” said Woodbridge. Something that Sinner, with his aggressive and steady baseline game, will try to capitalize on at the Australian Open.

In the past two years, only Sinner and Alcaraz have lifted Grand Slam titles, sharing between them the last eight tournaments of the category. After the changes in Alcaraz’s team, it remains to be seen if any other player will manage to break Jannik and Carlitos’ dominance, or if the battle for the major titles will continue as a duel between the Spanish and the Italian.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Creo que será difícil para Alcaraz ganar un Grand Slam el próximo año”