Samuel Lopez, coach of Pablo Carreno Busta, closely followed the sudden growth of Carlos Alcaraz, training him when his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero was absent. The Spaniard, who is currently in India following the training program of the Ferrero Tennis Academy – a collaborative project with the Maharashtra Sports Department for the training of high-level players and coaches – expressed his opinion on the change generational that the ATP Tour is experiencing.
“I think Novak Djokovic needed to say something about Carlos after the final. Maybe it’s an incredible comparison, it’s very nice for Carlos, but it’s not true. Of course, Alcaraz has his level, like Jannik Sinner, but at the moment Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are kings. Carlitos and Jannik are princes. You have to fight, move forward and maybe one day you can be a king like them,” he told to The Times of India.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic© Julian Finney / Staff Getty Images Sport
To achieve certain results it is essential that there is a rivalry that motivates you on a daily basis, as the Big 3 did with each other. The rivalry with Sinner could help Alcaraz in the long run, according Lopez.
“I hope Carlos wins 14 or 15 Slams. Before Federer, Rafa and Djokovic, when Sampras won 14 Majors, everyone said: it’s impossible, it’s a Guinness record. And now there are three guys who have 20, 22 and 24 Slams at the same time. It’s an incredible thing in the history of this sport.
Maybe Carlos won’t win 20 Slams because you have to have that motivation, that competition. Carlos, now with Sinner, has a great rivalry. With Rune, Zverev and Medvedev. It’s a great rivalry for tennis,” he added.
The rise of Alcaraz and Sinner
Alcaraz and Sinner can now be considered to all intents and purposes top players, capable of competing to win every title and undermining Novak Djokovic.
The two young tennis players caused a rift in a sport that had now been monopolized by the Big 3 Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who had left only crumbs to their opponents in recent years, with the exception of rare incursions.
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