Before Juan Carlos Ferrero, Who Inspired Carlos Alcaraz to Pick up a Racquet? Everything to Know About This Unknown Spaniard

History books will have several pages dedicated to the rising star Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz, the second seed and still only 21, is the youngest men’s medallist since tennis was brought back into the Olympic Games in 1988. While Juan Carlos Ferrero is rightly celebrated for his role in guiding the young star, there was another influential figure who laid the foundation for Alcaraz’s fearless playing style.

Besides the massive support of his father, one of his apprentices was Kiko Navarro, who also played a role in shaping Alcaraz’s tennis career. He was the coach who saw potential in Alcaraz from the very beginning. “He began to play with his dad, and one day [his father] asked me to watch him. This kid, at four, five years old, was spectacular,” Navarro recalled in June 2023 interview.

Trained by Alcaraz’s father Carlos Sr. himself, Navarro was quick enough to recognize the boy’s exceptional talent. “I knew from very young that he was incredible. I’m not going to say that I was thinking he was going to be world No 1 but I knew that I had a really good and different player on my hands,” he said, making an honest admission of predicting a bright fortune for Carlitos.

Navarro recalled Alcaraz as a carefree ten-year-old with no malicious intent, both on and off the court. However, a fierce competitive spirit already burned within him. The young Alcaraz hated losing, a trait that manifested in tantrums and broken racquets. Navarro would often let him cool down before addressing his behavior. His desire to win extended beyond tennis, encompassing padel, board games, and card games. Navarro believed that such a relentless drive was essential for reaching the pinnacle of the sport. By the age of thirteen or fourteen, a shift occurred.

Alcaraz began to grasp the seriousness of his talent. His exuberant playing style and early successes made him a rising star in Spain and Europe. As he started to break records previously held by tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the mental aspects of the game, including motivation and humility, became increasingly important. Despite the challenges, Navarro remained confident in Alcaraz’s potential to become a world-class player.

Navarro continued to move hand in hand with Alcaraz by the time he turned 17 and therefore handed over the responsibility to Ferrero, 2003 French Open winner and the Spaniard’s current coach. Navarro still continues his career as a tennis mentor at the El Palmar club in Murcia, the proud city where Alcaraz was born and raised.

Besides all the other things that Navarro thought Alcaraz would achieve in his career, the Olympic dream was a mutual one. He even whispered in Alcaraz’s ear, “You know that Paris has always been our dream,” before the young star left for Roland Garros, where he looks forward to playing the gold medal match against Novak Djokovic.

This is the sheer confidence that Alcaraz saw in the eyes of his mentors that made him envision a day where he would “sit at the same table as the big guys.” As he is already living his dream at such a young age, it is evident that he would travel way beyond.

Kiko Navarro close to winning a bet he placed against Carlos Alcaraz’s father

Carlos Alcaraz currently boasts a massive portfolio of 15 tour-level titles in all. However, before he even stepped into the arenas, Kiko Navarro knew that he would surely make it. Besides just having faith in him, the mentor also raised a bet against none other than Alcaraz’s father.

“I made a bet with his father that he would win Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros, I already have two out of three,” said Navarro, in the same interview where he uncovered his confidence in the rising star. Having absolute faith in his apprentice, Navarro predicted a massive victory for the Spaniard in his upcoming showdown against Novak Djokovic.

“He will beat Djokovic unless something strange happens, but he’s coming into it in good shape so I don’t think he’ll get hurt,” he added. The moment when Alcaraz could make history is about to arrive in just a few hours. As the stars align, it is to be witnessed is Navarro’s prediction comes out to be true.