Carlos Alcaraz stunned the world on Sunday with his epic five-set win over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. While there are no qualms over the racket skills possessed by the Spaniard, one question has intrigued the viewers. His quick adaptability to grass courts has stunned not only the fans but the experts as well. In only his fourth grass court tournament, he mastered the art of sliding on the surface.
Well, all the doubts are about to be cleared now as the Wimbledon champion’s coach has cleared the air. Juan Carlos Ferrero has recently disclosed how the 20-year-old conquered the GOAT on his territory.
Carlos Alcaraz’s coach reveals how he adapted to grass
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Adapting to grass is arguably one of the hardest tasks for a youngster, especially after a long clay season. The grass court lead-ups are very few. However, Alcaraz was not the one to back down as his movement on grass increased ten folds.
https://twitter.com/AlcarazAddict/status/1681011536838692865?s=20
His coach said via Eurosport, “It’s very difficult to say, I think he takes things on board very quickly, and we’ve also seen a lot of videos of players that move very quickly here. So, we copied a little of Murray, Roger and Novak, and he tries to copy a little bit the same. In the end, it wasn’t easy, but we did it.”
Quite fittingly, Alcaraz followed the only three men who tasted success at Wimbledon since 2011. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are globally considered among the best movers in tennis while Roger Federer’s footwork on grass has played a key role in his success.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
How quickly did Carlos Alcaraz adapt to grass courts?
The Spaniard played his first professional match on a grass court in 2021 after receiving a Wimbledon wildcard. After suffering a round 2 exit, he did not return to the surface till next Wimbledon where he failed in the Round of 16. He entered this grass swing, having played only 6 tour-level matches on the surface but played like no novice.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
He made a strong statement with a title at the Queen’s Tennis Club. However, the 20-year-old went one step further by winning Wimbledon thereby registering a perfect 12-0 record on grass courts this year.
Watch This Story:?Pizza lover Roger Federer tries his hand at making the legendary Italian staple in New York