Alcaraz's Coach Responds to "Emotional" Controversy, First Talks About Ferrero's Possible Return

As the clay season kicks off, Alcaraz's current coach Samuel López spoke to Eurosport, discussing his player's performance in the first quarter, the battle for world number one, and his former coach Ferrero.

After Alcaraz and Ferrero ended their collaboration late last year, Samuel López began serving as head coach. Although this was a major change for Alcaraz, it did not stop him from continuing to win titles this year. The Spaniard started the season with a perfect 16-match winning streak, capturing titles at the Australian Open and Doha, but his performance at the Sunshine Double sparked some discussion, especially his early exit in the third round of Miami against Korda.

Samuel López and Alcaraz Photo: Visual China

Samuel López expressed great satisfaction with Alcaraz's first-quarter performance: "It is undoubtedly a positive outcome. At the beginning of the year, Carlos faced this new situation. In these first three months, he performed at the level he should, and most importantly, he is well-prepared for upcoming matches. In the current competitive environment, it's impossible to always stay at 100%; it depends on many small factors. If on January 1st we knew we would achieve these results, I would be satisfied. We must view losses normally; if you've given your best effort, then your mind is at peace."

Regarding the performance at the Sunshine Double, aside from the loss itself, the criticism directed at Alcaraz came from his overly emotional reactions during difficult moments. The world number one, during his loss to Korda in Miami, once shouted: 'I can't do it anymore, I want to go home now.'

Samuel López commented cautiously on this: "I don't think we should just let it go and treat it as normal, but I also don't think it's something to make a fuss about. He's only 22, and we need to make him understand that such expressions have a significant impact (referring to external reactions), especially outside the team."

"Within the team, we clearly know the condition he arrived in Miami with and the situation at that time. He must work to control these emotional impulses; he has always had them, but they are becoming fewer. He especially needs to control himself in front of opponents, whether facing the opponent or their team, and not expose these weaknesses at critical moments. But besides that, this is also a way for him to express himself and release accumulated tension and fatigue; there's no need to take it too seriously."

Alcaraz completed the Grand Slam at this year's Australian Open

Although Alcaraz achieved fame early, Samuel López refuted speculation that he became complacent after completing the Grand Slam at just 22, believing it instead provided extra motivation: "After winning the Australian Open, I saw he remained highly motivated. He is indeed the youngest Grand Slam winner, but this is more like a booster, encouraging him to see if he can do better and continue winning titles."

Looking ahead to the upcoming clay season, Alcaraz faces significant pressure to defend points, whereas his biggest rival Sinner has no points to defend until Rome. Their battle for world number one will officially begin next week at the Monte Carlo Masters; if Alcaraz fails to defend his title, he risks losing his top ranking.

However, Samuel López chose to downplay the ranking battle in the interview: "It's not a big deal; he has experienced it before. Being number one or number four doesn't make much difference; what's important is continuous improvement and preparation for critical moments. Ranking is the result of consistency throughout the season; it's a long race. Whoever ends up number one deserves it; there's no need to overemphasize ranking."

When asked about areas where Alcaraz can improve, Samuel López focused on serving: "The development of tennis revolves around the serve. Carlos has improved, but he needs to continue progressing. The focus isn't on power but on precision and success rate; he is getting better in this aspect. However, he ranks first or second in other statistical categories, but in serving, his ranking is quite low. We must improve this area. While we can't have a serve like Isner's, we indeed need to make improvements."

Ferrero and Alcaraz Photo: Visual China

The topic of Ferrero is unavoidable. Although the separation process was not pleasant, Samuel López gave a hopeful answer: "We have a good relationship. I don't know what will happen in the future; it's not impossible. He worked with Carlos for seven or eight years; the bond between them will always exist. Perhaps in the future..."

(Text, Editor: Wang Fei)