Carlos Alcaraz is in the second week at a Major yet again after defeating Corentin Moutet 6-2 6-4 6-1 in a match that was, as expected, filled with remarkable shot-making, tweeners and net play.
But whilst it might seem like business as usual for the Spaniard, Alcaraz is playing in his first tournament on tour without Juan Carlos Ferrero in his team. As a result, he came into the tournament with questions surrounding him, despite finishing the previous year as the world #1. One week into his season, however, almost every tennis-related question has now more or less been answered by the Spaniard.
A reshaped team without Ferrero
But the question that remains, and will likely remain for the foreseeable future, is how exactly his team has changed.
Alcaraz has previously made it clear that most of his team remains the same as in past seasons, with the exception being the absence of Ferrero. Now, the world #1 has revealed who will help fill the void left behind.
While it has already been confirmed that Samuel Lopez will take on greater responsibility, now acting as the lead voice in the team rather than the second, it has also emerged that Alcaraz’s older brother, Alvaro Alcaraz, will take on a more prominent role within the setup, contributing to pre-match tactics as part of his expanded responsibilities.
Alcaraz on the growing influence of his brother
Speaking about how influential his brother is, the Spaniard said:
“My brother is a very important person in my personal and professional life. He brings me many positive things that I need to perform better and play well on court and in tournaments. Now he’s going to take on more prominence alongside Samu. He knows how we work and how the circuit functions, and he knows a lot about tennis. Sometimes he has opinions and a way of seeing things that contribute a lot to both me and Samu. I’m happy to see him in the box, even more involved, and he brings me a lot.”
While reports during the off-season suggested this could happen, Alcaraz publicly acknowledging his brother’s importance as the “glue” of the team will undoubtedly give Alvaro an added confidence boost.
It is one that Alcaraz himself may benefit from on court. The team has already shown a stronger sense of camaraderie following what was a shocking split with Ferrero. Their next task will be to prepare Alcaraz for his fourth-round match at the Australian Open, where he will face Tommy Paul — a player who has historically troubled Alcaraz, particularly on hard courts.
Main photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
