Tennis is a game of split-second decisions. Therefore, a “distraction” is the last thing that a player or perhaps a coach might want to entertain. Sadly, for many, the temptation is irresistible, and Carlos Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, is well aware of that. Warning about the displeasing outcome of the excessive rise in indulging in social media and cell phones, Ferrero has expressed his thoughts on the inevitable topic!

At Wimbledon Alcaraz is focused on reclaiming his title once again this season. With Daniil Medvedev standing in his way in the semifinals, Alcaraz needs to direct all his attention to the Centre Court, a place where he is used to creating history. But Carlitos’ coach is worried. Because in today’s hyper-connected world, shielding players from distractions and fostering mental toughness is a formidable challenge for coaches. The reason is an ever-growing addiction to cell phones and social media. While one can’t argue with the hundreds of advantages that it bears in our day-to-day life, the list of drawbacks is nothing short.

Speaking on this topic to Marca, Ferrero, who intends to train the 21-year-old player not only physically but also mentally, explained,  “It’s hard to say, but I think that kids are staring at screens all day long these days and that makes them not think about anything. And it’s hard to deal with. I see it in the juniors and the older ones too. I hope it doesn’t get worse because otherwise we’ll look like zombies.”

Ferrero has been guiding Carlos Alcaraz since the now three-time Grand Slam champion was only 16 years old. As their bond gets stronger professionally and personally, Ferrero has understood the impact of a “disconnection” from the sport for Alcaraz when it is absolutely necessary. Referring to this, the 44-year-old Spanish former World No. 1 said, “Carlos is reaching 100% in many phases of the matches. Then there are those small disconnections that he has and he drops to 60 or 70…Not only is 100% tennis, it can also be mental.”

According to him, working on training the mind is also dependent on strengthening the efficiency of disconnecting from the sport once in a while. “You can work on this(disconnections) during matches and off the court because the mind is trained.” You might wonder, how common is social media addiction. The following numbers can blow your mind:

• As of April 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, which amounted to 67.1 percent of the global population. Of this total, 5.07 billion, or 62.6 percent of the world’s population, were social media users. 
• Reports suggest that American adults spend an average of 127 minutes daily on social media. Athletes engage in higher volumes of social media consumption than the average person; over 80% of athletes reported two or more hours of social media use daily, with a mean of 4 hours of use per day.

Therefore, when there is a risk of becoming addicted to one of those “disconnections,” where does it ultimately leave us? In a place where we collectively thrive on pushing ourselves to more obsession. And Carlos coach’s thoughts help us see the broader picture. When it comes to supporting Alcaraz in sports, Ferrero has his strategies emboldened in his mind.

Alcaraz’s coach speaks on how to guide players in a tournament

“I need everything he tells me from the box and it’s really helpful to give my 100% on the court.” Carlos Alcaraz is always full of praise for the guidance he receives from his long-term coach. Similarly, Ferrero knows how to balance it well, while also letting him play his own game. “Carlos is being able to solve the problems he is having, the other day he went a little to the limit with Tiafoe,” he said, referring to the former U.S. Open Champion’s victory over Frances Tiafoe in the third round at Wimbledon.

However, adding a piece of advice to improve Alcaraz’s game furthermore, he said, “You have to try not to think about the title because there are very difficult rivals. Players have to think only of the next game and it would be a mistake on their part and that of everyone”.

Nevertheless, Ferrero has always had faith in Alcaraz’s gameplay and a belief that “he is ready to try to do big things in tennis.” Alcaraz’s rise to the second spot in tennis and winning his first Grand Slam on clay further underscores it! Hopefully, with or without a distraction, Carlos Alcaraz will be all in action at Wimbledon this year!