Carlos Alcaraz has had a few very unfortunate weeks, which he spent away from competitive tennis, but according to his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, he’s starting to see the light.
The Spaniard will start his European clay season this week at the 2024 Madrid Open because he wasn’t able to play in the weeks before this ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
He was in Monte Carlo recently, where he hoped to play, but ultimately had to pull out due to an arm issue. Minor physical problems like that have been common for Alcaraz, and they have impacted his mood from time to time.
Alcaraz also missed the Barcelona Open due to the same injury, and it was painful for him. He even admitted to crying because he had to skip an event he had won in back-to-back years.
Now it’s about turning a new page, and according to his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz is starting to do that this week. He had some positive practices, and he feels good heading into the event where he’s the defending champion again.
“Always looking at the player’s mental state, it’s never positive, but I think this week he is starting to see the light a little. Today he felt very good in training. And well, I think that is going to be very positive for what is coming next week and to try to prepare as best as possible.”
As a former player, Ferrero tries his best to keep Alcaraz focused on the goal, not thinking too much about anything else. The tennis season is a very long season, and players have to find balance in it.
If they get too high and too low frequently, they may find themselves struggling. So far, Alcaraz has been doing well, but these recent physical issues certainly left him a bit more pessimistic than usual.
