Juan Carlos Ferrero, the coach of Carlos Alcaraz, has compared the impact of Jannik Sinner on Alcaraz to when Novak Djokovic emerged as a challenger to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Ferrero, a former world No 1, explained that Sinner’s success is providing added motivation for Alcaraz, similar to Djokovic’s win at the 2023 ATP Finals. Alcaraz, at just 20 years old, has already achieved great success in his career, including two Grand Slam titles and becoming the youngest player to be ranked ATP world No 1 after winning the 2022 US Open. However, since his triumph at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, Alcaraz has faced more challenges, with his only final appearance coming at the Cincinnati Masters in August. During this same period, Sinner has reached new heights in his career, winning titles in Toronto, Beijing Vienna, and reaching the ATP Finals in Turin as a runner-up. He also led Italy to Davis Cup glory. Sinner’s impressive form has continued into 2024, with victories at the Australian Open and the Rotterdam Open, propelling him to a career-high ranking of world No 3. Alcaraz, on the other hand, suffered a defeat in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and was eliminated in the semi-finals of the Argentina Open. In an interview with La Nacion, Ferrero discussed whether Sinner’s success was a cause for concern or an additional source of motivation for Alcaraz. Ferrero expressed his belief that Sinner’s rise was expected, stating that they had seen his potential for winning Grand Slam titles for some time. Ferrero also drew parallels between Sinner’s emergence and the rise of Federer and Nadal, who were eventually joined by Djokovic. He emphasized the need for Alcaraz to train diligently to reach the level of Sinner and Djokovic. Ferrero sees Sinner’s success as a motivation and a source of inspiration for Alcaraz, as they push each other to improve and succeed.
According to the Source tennis365.com