Renowned Spanish tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz is preparing for the impending Australian Open, however, he will be undertaking this venture without the support of his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero. The esteemed former world No.1 coach is presently in the process of recuperating from knee surgery, rendering him unable to accompany Alcaraz to Melbourne next month.
Spanning from January 14th to 28th, the Australian Open will witness the 20-year-old Alcaraz vying for his inaugural title in the tournament. This inaugural appearance in Melbourne follows Alcaraz’s absence last year due to injury. Instead of Ferrero, Alcaraz will be under the tutelage of Samuel López, who also mentors Pablo Carreno Busta.
With Ferrero anticipated to rejoin Alcaraz at the Indian Wells tournament, the young player must confront the defending champion, Novak Djokovic, devoid of his trusted coach by his side. Djokovic is in pursuit of his 25th career Grand Slam singles title, a feat that would eclipse the current all-time major record shared with Australian legend Margaret Court.
Despite the absence of Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz has demonstrated considerable development in his game over the past year. As outlined by Ferrero, Alcaraz’s mental maturity has played a pivotal role in his accomplishments, facilitating his attainment of six titles in 2023.
Upcoming matches for Alcaraz encompass an exhibition against Djokovic in Riyadh on December 27th, followed by a showdown against Rafael Nadal in the Netflix Slam in Las Vegas on March 3rd.
The void left by Ferrero on the sidelines will unquestionably be perceptible, nevertheless, Alcaraz remains resolute in commencing his season vigorously and sustaining his remarkable streak on the court. His burgeoning maturity and expertise, coupled with the mentorship of coach Samuel López, will assuredly bolster his performance in the Australian Open and beyond.