NEW YORK: Juan Carlos Ferrero believes the 19-year-old is born to play on the big stages. "Since the moment that I started with him (four years ago)," Ferrero said of the US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, "I saw some things that were different from the other guys his age. I still see it on the court. In important moments, he always tries to go for it, he's a great competitor."
"He is born to play this kind of tournaments. He wants to play this tournament. He wants to win it."
Ferrero, 42, who clinched the No. 1 ranking 19 years ago when he made the US Open final, wasn't surprised by Alcaraz's breakthrough win this fortnight. "It's a surprise for everybody except maybe to me because I trained with him every day and I know what he's able to play on the court," Ferrero said. "I was pretty sure that maybe if it wasn't this year, it could be next year."
Ferrero, who won the French Open in 2003, nicknamed the 'Mosquito' for his speed around the court, said, Alcaraz and Italian Jannik Sinner could dominate the Tour for the next 10 years. He emphasized Alcaraz's game was work in progress. "I think he's at 60 percent of his game. He can improve a lot of things. He knows and I know that we have to keep working," he said.
