Pune: Carlos Alcaraz might be considered the next big thing in men’s tennis, but Samuel Lopez, a part of his coaching staff at the JC Ferrero Academy back home in Spain, is not ready to anoint him yet.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz announced himself as the heir apparent with his stunning five-set win over Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final last year. In his post-match press conference, the vanquished Serb, who had gone on to improve his major tally to 24 since then, heaped praise on the young Spaniard, saying he combined the best of the Big 3 (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic) in his game.
But Lopez, 54, played down the hype.
“I think that Djokovic needed to say something about Carlos (after the final). Maybe it is an unbelievable comparison, it is very nice for Carlos. But it’s not (true),” Lopez, in Pune to oversee the coaching programme at the JC Ferrero India tennis academy, said.
“Of course he (Alcaraz) has the level, the level like (Jannik) Sinner. But for the moment they (the Big 3) are kings. Carlos is a prince. You need to fight, to continue, and maybe one day you can be a king like them.”
Lopez did not have an extraordinary career as a player, but as a coach he boasts a thick resume.
He is currently the full-time coach of Pablo Carreno Busta, a former World No. 10 who beat Djokovic for the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo. But Lopez had been a part of JC Ferrero Academy’s core group of coaches and has worked with Alcaraz closely since the latter arrived at their academy in Alicante when he was 13. Although it’s Ferrero who travels with the youngster, Lopez steps in when needed – as he did during the Australian Open this year as well as when he won the Queen’s grass-court event last year.
Besides, Lopez’s father Antonio Martinez was Ferrero’s coach and mentor, and co-founded the former French Open champion’s eponymous academy, which has joined hands with the Maharashtra government, MSLTA and the Maha Tennis Foundation for a players and coaches development programme in the state.
Comparison with Nadal has been inevitable but Lopez said the ‘Prince’ was fundamentally different from the ‘King of Clay’.
“They are Spanish, have good fitness, and they play with power. But Carlos is a little different from Rafa,” he said. “For me, Rafa is the No. 1 in the history (of the sport) in mentality … Carlos for me, is a different number one.
“He likes to play many times for the public, for a spectacle. And he likes to play well so much. He likes to play (trick) shots, unbelievable shots, and he fights a lot too. He wants to win. I’m sure that Carlos will go (on) to win more Grand Slams, but it’s impossible to win 14 times at Roland Garros. That’s crazy.”
Lopez said that rivalry with the likes of Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open champion, will spur the Spaniard. “I hope he goes on to win 14-15 Grand Slams,” he said.
“Before (Roger) Federer, Rafa and Djokovic, when (Pete) Sampras won 14 Grand Slams, all said ‘this is impossible, it is a Guinness record’. And now three guys have 20, 22 and 24 (slams) at the same time. This is unbelievable in the history of the sport.
“Maybe Carlos not going to win 20 Grand Slams, because you need to have motivation, have that competition. Carlos, now with (Jannik) Sinner, he has a very good rivalry. With (Holger) Rune, with (Alexander) Zverev, (Daniil) Medvedev. This is a nice rivalry for tennis. “I hope Djokovic and Rafa can continue for more, but it’s so difficult. We need to look at the next generation, which is ready.”
