ATP Tour
On Wednesday morning, the Paris rain threatened to upset a scheduled practice for Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Alcaraz. Before they eventually made their way to Court 2 at Roland Garros to continue preparations for the semi-final clash against Lorenzo Musetti, the 22-year-old’s coach sat down with ATPTour.com to discuss how the defending champion is beginning to find ways to be prepared for anything.
“Carlos has always had the level, the problem is that it’s very hard to produce it in every match,” explained the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “We know that when he plays positively, bravely, when he plays without fear, then he is a player with a potential that is still yet to be realised. But you also have to see the other side of it: pressure, tension, fear, difficulties, opponents, types of players, a tournament you want to win more than others, the importance we all put on it... all these things also come into play.”
Ferrero was talking about Alcaraz’s flawless performance in his win over Tommy Paul. To reach the semi-finals, the World No. 2 brushed aside the American with a dazzling display of tennis. It was almost a perfect match.
“I don’t think you can call it perfect because nobody is perfect, but it’s true that he’s getting close to a level that is very rare on Tour,” said Ferrero. “I think he knows that he has to work on his consistency. I’ve told him so many times and that’s what we’re doing. The problem is that when you hit the ball so hard it’s difficult to be consistent sometimes.
“Yesterday he went at practically everything and everything went in, but some days there will be more mistakes and it becomes 30 unforced errors. Then he won’t be so brilliant, but the intention is there.”
With his charge having just turned 22, Ferrero is in no doubt that it is time for Alcaraz to make key decisions about his game, highlighting the importance of stepping up to the plate.
“It’s a question of him also choosing how he wants to play,” explained the Murcia native’s coach. “You can step out in the semi-finals with the tension of having to win or really try and go out and play every point and look for his A-game... so that it’s the consequence of being able to win and playing well. I think Carlos is starting to focus more on himself and not on others, and really finding his maximum level.
“He has to trust that when he fights at 100 per cent, with his maximum intensity, he can make others struggle. That’s the way we’re heading, getting him to really focus on himself, on doing his own things well. The consequence will be that exceptionally high level he has.”
On top of this, progressing mentally — based on the work he has been carrying out for some time — is currently key for Alcaraz.
“The mental side is something we’ve tried to work on with him for a long time,” explained Ferrero. “Routines, ways of behaving on court, how to pick himself up when he’s in trouble, pre-match chats, chats the day before, preparations for matches... All these kinds of situations that arise with a player, we’ve been working on them for some time.
“It’s something that we do so that he can feel confident,” he added. “If he needs to talk about something, if he needs to talk about the match or anything else, he knows that we’re there and we always try to do so in the same way.”
Editor's Note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es.
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