Carlos Alcaraz has been managing without his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, at the Paris Olympics, but reports suggest that will change in his battle for a gold medal with Novak Djokovic.
Ferrero has been one of the most critical people in Alcaraz's development since he was very young, helping develop him into the incredible phenomenon that tennis fans love to watch.
However, Ferrero had to stay at home for the Paris Olympics. David Ferrer, the Olympic national coach and former French Open runner-up, and Pablo Carreno Busta's coach, Samuel Lopez, have supported Alcaraz during the event so far.
In truth, the four-time Grand Slam champion has not missed Ferrero so far. He progressed to the final without any significant issues, including a brutal victory against Felix Auger Aliassime in the semifinal.
However, Ferrero's impact is far more likely to be important during the biggest matches. Against the man many consider the greatest ever, his absence might impact Alcaraz mentally more than people realize.
The 21-year-old will believe in himself regardless because of his achievements to date. In fact, Alcaraz made a very confident statement about claiming gold before the match, which may fire Djokovic up even more.
Nonetheless, whether Alcaraz's coach is present for the final could be crucial. Fortunately, recent reports suggest that former world No. 1 could have Ferrero with him in his attempt to win Olympic gold.
Spanish media outlet MARCA reported that Ferrero traveled to Paris on Saturday to support his player and help him prepare. If Alcaraz does claim gold, he will be the first Spaniard to do it since Rafael Nadal won the men's singles in 2008.
Alcaraz has spoken about Ferrero's style and the influence he has had on him in the past. This year's French Open champion admits he is a strict disciplinarian who is hard on Alcaraz when he deems it necessary, but that is also mixed with humor at the right moments.
"He is tough. He is a very serious person when he has to be, when it comes to work and discipline, he is very hard on you. But he is also very, very funny when he has to be. He knows how to differentiate the moments very well."
The watchable Spaniard also said Ferrero's strictness is not just related to how he practices on the tennis court. Alcaraz admitted his influence spreads to other areas of his life, such as how he rests and how much time he spends on his phone.
"Yes, he is very strict with everything, with the issue on the court, with the issue of professionalism, with the issue of the things that I have to improve off the court, like the phone, punctuality, rest, etc. But I think that is why I am here today, that is why I have grown very quickly, because if he were not so strict I might have gone crazy,"
No one can dispute the results of Alcaraz and Ferrero's partnership. Their bond means Alcaraz will be delighted to have him in the stands on Court Philippe-Chatrier during his match against Djokovic.
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