Carlos Alcaraz and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, appear to have differing views on his Australian Open performance. While Alcaraz downplayed his quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic, Ferrero sees it as a missed opportunity and has urged his protégé to keep pushing forward.
Despite winning the first set, Alcaraz ultimately fell 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to Djokovic, who played through an injury scare. The Spaniard later insisted that he did not view the match as a disappointment, stating:
“I don’t feel that it was a missed opportunity against Novak. I really wanted to win the tournament and felt I was able to, but Novak played an unbelievable match.”
However, Ferrero disagreed, making it clear that expectations for Alcaraz are much higher.
“It was a bit of a disappointment for everyone,” Ferrero told Marca.
“Many players would have been happy with a quarter-final, but with Carlos’ potential, we always thought he could go further.”
Rotterdam Title a Step in the Right Direction
Alcaraz quickly bounced back from his Melbourne exit, claiming his first indoor hard-court title at the Rotterdam Open. Ferrero believes the victory was a much-needed boost:
“The victory in Rotterdam was a shot of motivation and confidence for what’s coming next. We are happy for now.”
Sinner’s Rise: A Wake-Up Call for Alcaraz
Ferrero also took the opportunity to warn Alcaraz about his biggest rival, Jannik Sinner, who has been in top form.
“He [Sinner] is a very complete player. He has been aware of what he needed to improve over the years, and he has done just that.”
Praising Sinner’s maturity and team, Ferrero emphasized that Alcaraz must not become complacent:
“He has matured a lot in the last year and is very aware of what he needs to win. He is going to be a tough opponent, and Carlos must not ‘fall asleep.’ He has to keep improving to stay on equal terms with Sinner, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Rublev, and of course, Djokovic, who is still there.”
A Potential Alcaraz vs. Sinner Clash in Doha?
Both Alcaraz and Sinner are set to compete at next week’s Qatar Open (ATP 500 in Doha), with Djokovic also in the draw. As the top two seeds, Alcaraz and Sinner could meet in the final, setting the stage for another chapter in their growing rivalry.
