NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz may have an extra coach with him when the 2025 season begins.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has employed Samuel Lopez to work alongside Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has coached the Spaniard since he was 15 years outdated.
Lopez has coached Ferrero, amongst different gamers. Alcaraz, 21, believes the pairing can assist push him again to the highest of the rankings.
“I believe Samuel, for me, is among the finest coaches that we’ve got on tour,” Alcaraz stated Tuesday, the day earlier than a scheduled exhibition match in opposition to Ben Shelton at Madison Sq. Backyard.
“They belief one another one hundred pc and having the ability to journey with each, for me, it may be nice. I believe I will develop as a participant because of them. I believe we’re going to work fairly laborious and fairly good for the subsequent season and the subsequent years. Hopefully we’re going to make good outcomes collectively.”
Lopez was a member of Spain’s Olympic group in 2000 and 2012. He had been working with Pablo Carreño Busta, who thanked his coach for 9 seasons collectively in an Instagram submit this weekend.
Alcaraz turned the youngest participant to succeed in No. 1 within the ATP rankings after profitable the US Open in 2022 at 19. He went on to win two Wimbledon titles and one on the French Open, the place Ferrero gained the title in 2003.
Alcaraz completed this yr at No. 3. He stated his relationship with Ferrero stays robust, crediting the coach for turning him into the participant and particular person he’s now, and permitting him to achieve extra of a voice at their academy.
“They’re listening to me rather more than earlier than,” Alcaraz stated. “Clearly after I was 16 years outdated I had nothing to say. I used to be simply mouth closed and ears open and did no matter he stated. Proper now I am doing extra issues for myself, for instance I am taking extra choices, severe choices.
“So I believe (we) each are doing nice work collectively as an individual as effectively simply to verify this relationship continues to be fairly good and the love that we’ve got for one another is big. So I like him as an expert however as an individual as effectively.”
US Open girls’s runner-up Jessica Pegula and semifinalist Emma Navarro may also play within the Backyard Cup.
