Carlos Alcaraz reveals who was the first big tennis star to recognise his talent
Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about when he first realised he was “actually” good at tennis – and how “role model” David Ferrer proved an inspirational figure as a junior.
World No 3 Alcaraz is currently one of the biggest stars in tennis, with four Grand Slam titles and 36 weeks as the world No 1 to his name.
In September 2022, a 19-year-old Alcaraz became the youngest world No 1 in ATP history following his US Open triumph, while he is the youngest man to complete the ‘Surface Slam’.
The 21-year-old does not have to think back as far as most to reflect on his junior days, but, speaking on Molusco TV, he opened up about when he realised he had the potential to achieve greatness.
He said: “I’d say [I realised] around the age of 14. By then, I had already competed internationally and had played in a lot of national tournaments in Spain.
“My results were good — I had won some tournaments and was being considered among the best in Europe. That’s when I slowly started realizing that I was on the right track, that maybe I was actually good at tennis.
“Of course, those years between 14 and 18 are crucial, but it was at 14 that I really decided I wanted to train harder, dedicate myself even more, and pursue my dream of becoming a professional player.”
When asked further about who was the first accomplished athlete to recognise his potential, Alcaraz reflected on practicing with Ferrer when he was only 15 years old.
A former world No 3 and a French Open finalist, training with Ferrer proved to have a significant impact on a young Alcaraz.
“The first one I can remember was David Ferrer,” added Alcaraz.
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“When I was 15, I had the chance to train with him. For me, Ferrer was a huge role model — not just in tennis but in sports in general.
“I almost beat him in that practice session, and even today, he still reminds me of that match. That was one of those moments where I thought: ‘Wow, maybe I’m really on the right path.'”
Ferrer, who called time on his playing career back in 2019, has remained an important figure in Alcaraz’s career.
The 2013 Roland Garros runner-up led the Spanish team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Alcaraz picked up a silver medal in the men’s singles event.
Ferrer is also Spain’s current Davis Cup captain, and Alcaraz represented his country in both the Davis Cup Group Stage and Davis Cup Finals last Autumn.
World No 3 Alcaraz is currently building up for his Indian Wells campaign, with the Spaniard looking to become just the third man to win the tournament for three consecutive years.
Alcaraz defeated Daniil Medvedev to lift the title for the first time in 2023 and then beat the Russian again in the final a year ago.
The second seed in Indian Wells, he has an opening-round bye at the Masters 1000 event – though could face Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.
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