‘Carlos Alcaraz was quick but had no muscles’, says top coach

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal were among the players to beat this year. The Spaniards finished the season in the top-2 and wrote the history of tennis in their country. Rafa and Carlos won three of the four Grands and left their rivals behind. Alcaraz entered the ATP ranking list at the beginning of 2018 and it only took him four and a half years to conquer the throne and become the youngest world number 1. Despite a reduced schedule, Carlos earned 350 roster spots in 2020 and momentum heading into 2021. Hungry for more, the young Spaniard racked up 32 ATP wins in 2021, capturing his first ATP title in Umag and becoming an ATP quarterfinalist. a Major at the US Open. The man from El Palmar closed the season with the ATP Next Gen Finals crown in Milan and prepared for more success in 2022. Starting from the threshold of the top-30, Alcaraz lost the Australian Open duel against Matteo Berrettini before traveling to Rio de Janeiro. Carlos went all the way to secure his second ATP title and become the youngest champion in that series (since 2009). And more importantly, an 18-year-old cracked the top 20 the next day. Thus, Alcaraz became the third youngest player in that group since the inception of the ATP Tour in 1990, joining Andrei Medvedev and Pete Sampras on the exclusive list. At 18 years and nine months, Carlos left his great compatriot Rafael Nadal behind, as Rafa broke into the top-20 aged 18 years and ten months in 2005. Thus, Carlos is the youngest active player to enter the aforementioned group and the 14th youngest since the inception of the ATP rankings in 1973, joining some impressive names! Carlos arrived in Rio in 29th place. He got off to a slow start against compatriot Jaume Munar before defeating him in sets two and three.

Ferrero on Carlos Alcaraz

Elected ATP coach of the year 2022 by his peers, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who had an exceptional season alongside his player, Carlos Alcaraz, wanted to look back on the day he worked for the first time with the youngest world number one in history. “When he first came to the academy at 15 he was a stick man, he was quick but had no muscles. Despite this, we saw something very special. His rise came very quickly, it’s a surprise for everyone, except for me, because I train with him every day and I know what he can do. I was sure that if it wasn’t this year, it would be the next. Now we want to continue.”