By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, December 17, 2023
Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz will play for a maiden Australian Open title without coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who is recovery from knee surgery.
Photo credit: Juan Carlos Ferrero Instagram/Mutua Madrid Open
Carlos Alcaraz takes aim at a maiden Australian Open title without a key ally in his corner.
Alcaraz's coach, former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, will miss next month's Australian Open after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee last Monday. Spanish news agency Marca broke the story Ferrero will miss Melbourne.
More: Osaka on Pregnancy Challenges
The Australian Open is set for January 14-28th.
World No. 2 Alcaraz, who missed Melbourne last year recovering from injury, will be coached in Australia by Samuel López, who coaches Pablo Carreno Busta, according to Marca's report.
Ferrero, who is currently coaching Alcaraz daily during his five-week training block ahead fo the 2024 season, is expected to rejoin Alcaraz on Tour at Indian Wells starting on March 6th.
Alcaraz is aiming to topple 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic's title defense Down Under.
World No. 1 Djokovic is playing for his 25th career Grand Slam singles title, which would break the all-time major record he currently shares with Australian legend Margaret Court.
In his last Australian Open appearance, Alcaraz reached the 2022 Australian Open third round bowing to Matteo Berrettini in a pulsating fifth-set tiebreaker.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz's mental maturity is the main reason he enjoyed a successful 2023, capturing six titles, says Ferrero.
"As a person, I would say he's more mature. He's 20 now, and of course also when you are on a team that people are older, I think you grow up a little bit faster than maybe with other people that are the same age as you," Ferrero told the media earlier this year. "Yeah, as a player, I think he grows up like super fast on the court.
"He can, let's say, read the matches a little bit better. Even before the match, like talking about the match, you can see that he's more mature on all kind of areas on the court.
"I would say he's better than last year. I think he has more experience. The experience that he's won US Open and, you know, live the experience on the court that he did I think makes him grow faster than maybe other people, so definitely he's a better player."
Alcaraz is scheduled to square off against a pair of legendary champions in the coming weeks.
First, Alcaraz will take on Djokovic in a Riyadh exhibition on December 27th.
On March 3rd, Alcaraz will take on Rafael Nadal in the Netflix Slam in Las Vegas.