‘They’re pushing us too much’ – Alcaraz partly attributes Sinner injury to relentless schedule
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Ferrero began working with Alcaraz in 2019 and helped his compatriot rapidly ascend to the top of the sport, winning the ATP Coach of the Year award twice in the process.”My goals with Carlos were very clear,” Ferrero said in an interview with Eurosport.
“It was to truly help a young man, who was 15 when we started and had spectacular qualities, improve day by day.
“I wasn’t really thinking about putting my own things into him, but rather trying to adapt to who he was. It’s true that the experience of having played, of having achieved certain things, can influence your guidance.
“But at no point did I think that I was going to make him just like me. No, no, nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, I tried to adapt to all the qualities he had in order to fully develop them.”
Ferrero, who is now the mental performance and professional development coach of Spanish golfer Angel Ayora, claimed that he has “moved on” from the disappointment of his split with Alcaraz.
“On a professional level, being in tournaments, winning important titles, living those dreams you have from the beginning of the relationship… and on a personal level, the relationship we had – the connection was very good, I won’t deny it,” he said.
“Obviously, we’ve missed each other since it happened, but now we’ve moved on and I don’t think either of us thinks about it much anymore.”
Ferrero coached Zverev for a short period before his partnership with Alcaraz and he revealed there were some intrinsic differences between them.
“With Zverev, let’s just say we didn’t share the same understanding of the professionalism involved in being a tennis player,” he said.
“Our cultures are very different. He’s Russian-German, I’m Spanish. We thought differently and, in the end, we each decided to go our separate ways.”
But Ferrero did praise Zverev’s rise to the top of the rankings this year following his first Grand Slam successes at Roland-Garros and the US Open.
“I think it’s well-deserved,” Ferrero said. “He’s a player who I believe has been working towards this for a long time.
Alcaraz: Moustache is here to stay after Tokyo triumph
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“Perhaps his level and development had stagnated a bit over the last three or four years. But in the last year and a half, I think he’s realised this and has really been trying to improve.
“It just so happens that neither Carlos nor Jannik [Sinner] have been there. He’s taken advantage of the opportunity.
“But I think that now, having seized that opportunity, he’s going to be mentally stronger to try and compete on equal terms with them.”
‘Hard to imagine’ another Big Three in tennisAlcaraz and Sinner have emerged as the dominant forces in men’s tennis after the retirements of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with Novak Djokovic‘s powers dwindling.
Asked whether there could soon be another trio of players racking up Grand Slams, Ferrero said: “Right now, we’re seeing it with Carlos and Jannik, and I don’t think it’s that difficult. I think we’re seeing a rivalry that we’ve already seen with one other player.
“Hopefully Zverev, or those close to him, whether they’re ranked fourth or fifth, will raise their level and we can see a bit more competition among the Grand Slams. But it’s difficult to predict that.
“I think what Rafa, Roger, and Novak have achieved… It’s really hard to imagine someone winning so many Grand Slams in this day and age.
“But both Jannik and Carlos are getting there little by little. They’re winning one or two Grand Slams each year. And well, for now, they’re showing that they’re on the right track.”
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