Carlos Alcaraz caught the eyes of the tennis world last year after becoming the youngest player to win the US Open and finish the year-end as World No. 1. This season, Alcaraz won the Madrid Opens, the Indian Wells tournament, and the most famous of all, the Wimbledon Championship, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final.
With plans ahead of next year already in gear and the determination to stop Novak Djokovic from winning more titles, Carlos Alcaraz has suffered a massive blow that may hamper his hopes for many crowns come 2024.
Juan Carlos Ferrero expected to miss AUS Open
Carlos Alcaraz has suffered a massive loss ahead of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne after losing his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. Alcaraz has been going through a five-week pre-season program, which began on December 8. The program is to ensure that he is in the best condition possible for the first Grand Slam tournament of next year.
But the Spaniard looks set to finish his preparations without Ferrero, who will not be able to travel with him for an exhibition match with Novak Djokovic in Riyadh after it was confirmed he requires arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
MARCA reported that the former tennis player will be replaced by Samuel Lopez for the two-week event, as Ferrero will need crutches after the operation.
Ferrero will return to coaching Alcaraz at tournament level at Indian Wells, a Masters 1000 event. The event will be held between March 6-17.
Carlos Alcaraz has been coached by Juan Ferrero since 2019 when he began his professional career at the age of 16, and there is no question about how much the coach has transformed him to become a star. But Alcaraz is in good hands with Lopez, who is the coach of fellow Spanish player Pablo Carreno Busta and an experienced trainer.
Carlos Alcaraz’s performances under Juan Carlos Ferrero
Juan Ferrero became Carlos Alcaraz’s coach in 2019 when the youngster became a pro at just 16. Since then, the coach has patiently built up the youngster’s confidence and made him one of the best players. Alcaraz won his first ATP title at the Croatian Open in 2021.
Last season, the 20-year-old was in an impressive that saw him win the US Open and Miami Open. He ended this season with a haul of six titles, including Wimbledon and the ATP Masters 1000s in Indian Wells and Madrid. The Spaniard played 77 matches in the year (65-12), but ended the year as World No. 2 even though he liked to have ended the season with more under his belt.
However, this is not the first time Carlos Alcaraz will be without the presence of his coach Ferrero. In the past the Spaniard won the Miami Open in 2022 without Ferrero by his side defeating Norwegian Casper Rudd in the final.
