2022 marked the definitive explosion of Carlos Alcaraz.
2022 marked the definitive explosion of Carlos Alcaraz. The 19-year-old Spaniard has won the US Open, as well as two Masters 1000s (Miami and Madrid) and two ATP 500s (Rio and Barcelona). Triumphing in New York in the summer, Murciano became the youngest number 1 in the world in the history of men’s tennis.
“I never thought I’d climb to the top when I was 19, I’m in seventh heaven. I will have to work hard to confirm this position” – said ‘Carlitos’ after the US Open. During the season, the Iberian also took the whim of beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on Madrid’s clay court.
Some believe that Alcaraz’s first position is not entirely deserved, given Djokovic’s repeated absences related to the vaccination issue. The Serbian had to miss the Australian Open and the US Open, as well as all the American Masters 1000 (Indian Wells, Miami, Montreal and Cincinnati).
In a long interview with ‘Punto de Break’, Juan Carlos Ferrero analyzed in detail the year of his protégé.
Ferrero on Carlos Alcaraz
In a long interview given to our colleagues from Puntodebreak, Juan Carlos Ferrero looks back on his career but also on the controversy linked to the first place in the world of his colt Carlos Alcaraz.
If he understands that we can question this feat achieved in particular circumstances, he considers that it is amply deserved. “It is normal that some people think that Carlos does not deserve this place because it is true that Novak Djokovic did not play two Grand Slams and could have won more, or not, in fact we will never know.
But at the end of the day, I think this place is deserved especially if you win almost every game you play during the year. I think it’s been a very successful year. You have to respect all opinions, but I think it’s deserved.”
Daniil Medvedev’s youth coach and former ATP player Jean-Rene Lisnard is of the opinion that Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open participation is immaterial in deciding his greatness. “Djokovic is Djokovic, and he will remain so regardless of participation or non-participation in the Australian Open.
He is Superovich!” he said. “If he does not play in this or that tournament, what will happen to him? Only the tournament will suffer. He fights for his rights – and I think he is right. Before, I didn’t really like him, but the further this whole situation went, the more sympathy I felt for him.
He is the only one in this tennis world who can call a spade a spade and do what he wants,” he said. “This commands great respect.”
