Carlos Alcaraz’s meteoric rise in the tennis world is a story that continues to captivate fans globally. The young Spaniard has shown remarkable skills, accumulating four Grand Slam titles and cementing his place among the sport’s elite. Much of his success can be attributed to the unwavering support of his longtime coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been with him through the highs and lows of his journey. But after securing a thrilling win in his debut singles match at the Laver Cup, Alcaraz had a playful warning for his coach.

The Spanish sensation whisked out American player Ben Shelton in the first round of the Laver Cup in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. The joy was evident for Alcaraz, as he expressed heartfelt gratitude to his team which includes the likes of Bjorn Borg as captain.

The Spaniard engaged in the post-match interview and said, “For me, it’s a privilege to play for Bjorn and for my team.” Remember, Team Europe consists of some grand names like Alcaraz, Grigor Dimitrov, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, and Flavio Cobolli. Continuing further, Alcaraz issued a playful warning to his coach Ferrero. “All I want to say is Juan Carlos if he’s watching me, be careful with the, you know, the position of coach because I have great coaches here,” the 21-year-old said.

Ferrero started working with Alcaraz when the latter was just 15. The duo has since been hitting the courts for practice and the former pro is always seen in Alcaraz’s box during his matches. To coach Alcaraz though, Ferrero has made some significant sacrifices.

According to Alcaraz’s agent Albert Molina, Ferrero agreed to coach the Spaniard despite not being paid much. The top-tier coach understood the financial situation of a growing talent and agreed to train him at a much lower cost.

Alcaraz might have playfully asked Ferrero to be careful as he has lot of coaching options at Laver Cup, but he has often expressed his desire to continue practicing under Ferrero’s guidance throughout. 

When Carlos Alcaraz wished to spend his entire career with Juan Carlos Ferrero 

Juan Carlos Ferrero has helped Carlos Alcaraz in amassing immense success on the tennis circuit. The two have often been seen engaging in serious discussions and celebrating the victories with warm hugs, demonstrating how important and strong their bond is. Speaking to the Spanish publication Relevo in July this year, Alcaraz opened up about his future with Ferrero. 

When quizzed if the four-time Grand Slam winner can imagine his career without his coach, he demonstrated skepticism. “Well, a person’s career is very long, anything can happen at a tennis level and at a personal level, both for me and for Juan Carlos. Personally, I would love, thinking about it now, to spend my entire career with him,” Alcaraz said. Even Ferrero has highlighted the strong bond he shares with the young player. 

In an interview, that featured on ATPTour.com, Ferrero reflected on his relationship with Alcaraz. “It’s a very close relationship that can obviously change at different moments during the day,” Ferrero said. He further added that he is only a coach on the field and their bond off it, is different. “There are times when I’m purely his coach, but at other times I’m his friend.”

For now, Carlos Alcaraz is looking to help Team Europe win the Laver Cup, before he resumes his training with Ferrero. Can Team Europe dominate Team World in the Laver Cup? What do you think?