Carlos Alcaraz was nearly brought to tears by his former coach, Kiko Navarro, after an early exit from a youth tournament. The journey to becoming a four-time Grand Slam champion and reaching an Olympic final at just 21 has been a rollercoaster for the young Spaniard.
Navarro, who played a key role in shaping Alcaraz’s career from a young age, reflected on one particularly tough moment in their relationship. The incident took place at the under-14 Memorial Giuseppe Cassani tournament in Pavia, Italy, when a 13-year-old Alcaraz underperformed. Speaking to Relevo, Navarro recalled, “It was the biggest telling-off I gave him. I always joke that if there had been a camera on the train, his father might have fired me when we got back to Murcia. Later, I regretted it because I’m usually very close and affectionate, especially with him.”
Navarro believed in being both demanding and supportive, and this philosophy was tested after Alcaraz’s second-round loss to Francesco Maestrelli, 6-2, 6-4. Though the result wasn’t troubling, Navarro was furious with Alcaraz’s lack of effort. “On the first day, he played well and won,” Navarro explained. “I knew Carlitos had the potential to go far in the tournament. But while I didn’t expect him to win, I did expect him to give his all. He didn’t, and that made me very angry.”
In the match’s warm-up, Navarro didn’t sense anything amiss, but once play began, Alcaraz’s intensity was absent. “There was no intensity, and he lost,” Navarro said. His frustration stemmed from the effort that others—his sponsors and family—had invested in Alcaraz. “I told him, ‘We’re staying in Murcia; we’re not going to waste our time if you can’t give it your all,’” Navarro added.
The stern talk had a profound impact on the young Alcaraz, leaving him with his head down and almost in tears. Years later, under the guidance of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz has transformed into one of tennis’s brightest stars.
Alcaraz won his first major title at the 2022 US Open, defeating Casper Ruud in a thrilling final. In 2023, he claimed the Wimbledon title, and in 2024, he defended his Wimbledon crown and secured his first French Open title. Alcaraz also earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, narrowly losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.
Now, in 2025, Alcaraz is chasing the one Grand Slam title that has eluded him—the Australian Open—as he continues his quest for tennis greatness.
