Sports editorial, Jan 23 (EFE).- Carlos Alcaraz recognized that his brother Álvaro, who has been part of his team since he began his professional career, will have more prominence within the new structure created after the separation of Juan Carlos Ferrero.
“My brother is a very important person in my personal and professional life. He gives me many positive things that I need to perform better on the court and in tournaments. Now he is going to take on more prominence together with Samu López,” said the world number one.
Álvaro Alcaraz has been a regular training partner of the winner of six Grand Slams and his relevance will be greater in the tournaments. “He knows how we work and how the circuit goes and he knows a lot about tennis. He sometimes has opinions and a way of seeing things that gives us a lot and personally he gives me a lot when I see him in the team in the box,” he added.
Samuel López, who already accompanied Carlos Alcaraz in a large number of tournaments last season, became the first coach after Ferrero separated from the Murcian team. Now, Álvaro’s functions take on more relevance.
Alcaraz reached the round of 16 after firmly beating Frenchman Corentin Moutet in his hundredth match of a Grand Slam. The Murcian has achieved 87 wins and 13 losses and equals the legendary Swede Bjorn Borg for the best record of the Open Era.
Alcaraz has surpassed legends like Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe, who went 86-14 in their first 100 matches at a major. Djokovic, for his part, with twenty-four Grand Slams, ten of them in Melbourne, recorded a 79-21 and Roger Federer an 80-20.
Precisely, the changes in the serve and its similarity with Djokovic’s is a recurring issue in the questions to the Murcian: “I still have room for improvement. It is going well with a high percentage and I feel very comfortable, which is the important thing. In training I focus on doing it well. I am looking for fluid and comfortable mechanics,” he said about the serve.
Djokovic, when questioned about it, joked about “copyrights.” “I have the contract there and I have to give it to him. I saw the two serves and compared, the truth is that they look very similar. Djokovic serves very well and the movement he makes is simple. That does not mean that I copied him. I just made changes and it came out that way,” clarified Alcaraz, who will face the American Tommy Paul in the round of 16.
“He is a great player and I know what I have to do against him. He is very fast with flat shots. I will have to play very well, at a high level. I am prepared to suffer because in some moments he will take the initiative,” said Alcaraz.
(c) EFE Agency
