‘His Hands Are Like Cotton’ – Serena Williams’ Former Coach Rick Macci Identifies What Separates Carlos Alcaraz From the Rest

Spanish tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz has been getting a lot of attention now. The 19-year-old has taken the tennis world by storm. At a very early stage in his career, he looks promising to be the next great thing in the post Big-3 era.

This year has been phenomenal for the young Spaniard as he started the year with the Australian Open where he lost in the third round. Further, he has won all other tournaments that he has taken part in except for Indian Wells, where he lost to the legendary Rafael Nadal.

There has been a lot of talk about the similar-looking career projection of Nadal and Carlos. Both the players broke into the top ten at the same time in their careers. Looking at his potential, many tennis experts have kept a close eye on his technique and gameplay. One of them is the renowned tennis coach Rick Macci. He shared a video on his YouTube channel decoding his playing style.

Rick Macci Praises Carlos Alcaraz for His Soft Hands

Talking about Alcaraz’s gameplay, Rick pointed out the importance of the soft hands that Carlos has and how it has been instrumental in his success. The legendary coach also mentioned that hands like cotton and added with his raw power he can use it to great effect.

“His hands are like cotton. That’s another thing. He has his raw power, but his hands are like cotton. He can chip it, he can dip it, he can flip it, he can rip it his hands are very soft.” 

Also, Macci added that when Alcaraz is playing a volley, he can absorb power. He is not afraid to come in. He will serve him a volley to mix it up if you’re standing back. Also, he is not afraid to sneak into the net. Adding to that, the American said that he has seen no young player as complete as Alcaraz.

“When he volleys, he can absorb the power, and speaking of the volley he is not afraid to come in he will serve him volley to mix it up if you’re standing back in the bleachers or he is not afraid to sneak into the net I have never seen a young man so complete,” Macci added.

Dive Deeper: When Did Carlos Alcaraz Turn Pro?

Role of the Coach Behind Alcaraz’s Success

Former Spanish player Juan Carlos Ferrero is the man who has shaped Carlos into a winning machine. The duo has been together since Alcaraz was 16. The youngster used to train at his academy. Also, Ferrero knows what it takes to make a world-class player as he himself was one.

The former world number one has 16 ATP titles to his name and won the French Open in 2003. Under his guidance, Alcaraz has already won five titles at such a young age.

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Although Alcaraz is being compared to the greats already, the 19-year-old has a long way to go and we hope he keeps his distance from the outside noise and remains focused on his game