NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz can have an extra coach with him when the 2025 season begins.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has employed Samuel Lopez to work alongside Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has coached the Spaniard since he was 15 years previous.
Lopez has coached Ferrero, amongst different gamers. Alcaraz, 21, believes the pairing can assist push him again to the highest of the rankings.
“I feel Samuel, for me, is without doubt one of the finest coaches that we now have on tour,” Alcaraz mentioned Tuesday, the day earlier than a scheduled exhibition match in opposition to Ben Shelton at Madison Sq. Backyard.
“They belief one another 100% and having the ability to journey with each, for me, it will be nice. I feel I will develop as a participant due to them. I feel we’re going to work fairly onerous and fairly good for the following season and the following years. Hopefully we’re going to make good outcomes collectively.”
Lopez was a member of Spain’s Olympic workforce in 2000 and 2012. He had been working with Pablo Carreño Busta, who thanked his coach for 9 seasons collectively in an Instagram submit this weekend.
Alcaraz turned the youngest participant to succeed in No. 1 within the ATP rankings after successful the US Open in 2022 at 19. He went on to win two Wimbledon titles and one on the French Open, the place Ferrero received the title in 2003.
Alcaraz completed this 12 months at No. 3. He mentioned his relationship with Ferrero stays robust, crediting the coach for turning him into the participant and individual he’s now, and permitting him to realize extra of a voice at their academy.
“They’re listening to me way more than earlier than,” Alcaraz mentioned. “Clearly once I was 16 years previous I had nothing to say. I used to be simply mouth closed and ears open and did no matter he mentioned. Proper now I am doing extra issues for myself, as an example I am taking extra choices, critical choices.
“So I feel (we) each are doing nice work collectively as an individual as nicely simply to verify this relationship continues to be fairly good and the love that we now have for one another is big. So I love him as knowledgeable however as an individual as nicely.”
US Open girls’s runner-up Jessica Pegula and semifinalist Emma Navarro may even play within the Backyard Cup.