Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero reveals Carlos Alcaraz told him moments after exiting the 2022 Indian Wells Masters that he was ready to beat Rafael Nadal. In the 2022 Indian Wells semifinal, Alcaraz competed extremely well against Nadal but the 36-year-old Spaniard escaped with a 6-4 4-6 6-3 win.
Two months later, Alcaraz and Nadal met again in a Masters event. But this time, it was Alcaraz who ended on the winning side as the 19-year-old Spaniard beat Nadal 6-2 1-6 6-3 in the Madrid quarterfinal. “And another one was losing against Rafa at 2022 Indian Wells, in the semi-finals.
He came out of the court and said: ‘I think I’m ready now to beat Rafa.’ It was the first thing he told me after losing. And then he beat Rafa and Novak in Madrid. As I mentioned previously, he has this ability to feel when he’s ready,” Ferrero told Tennis Majors.
Coach Ferrero on Alcaraz’s injuries
Alcaraz missed the Australian Open due to a knee injury but then made finals in three of his four tournaments of the year. This week, Alcaraz pulled out of Monte Carlo. “I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come,” Alcaraz wrote on Twitter.
Reflecting on Alcaraz’s injuries, Ferrero didn’t sound too concerned. “Injuries in tennis are normal. We made some changes these latest times, on small details of his journey. We monitor everything, tuned up here and there. Everything is really good now.
And don’t forget that everything was so stressful after he won the Us Open. All the people came to see him to say: ‘You’re so good, blah blah blah’. It’s difficult to practice like before and to do more things for the sponsors and everything. Now he’s on the way again. And we can see it on the court,” Ferrero said.
