Juan Carlos Ferrero compared the tennis tour to a "wheel" that is ever in motion and it is logical that players have accumulated high mileage towards the end of the season.
Ferrero broke his silence to answer about Carlos Alcaraz's recent physical struggles and his dip in form in the past couple of months. Since winning Wimbledon in mid-July, Alcaraz hasn't added another title to his trophy cabinet.
He may be 20, but he has raised the bar so high that tennis fans expect him to win every single time he takes to the court. Alcaraz is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in men's tennis right now, so he is not going to hide away from the spotlight.
Recent results, in which he lost back-to-back matches in Shanghai and Paris, appeared to have put a stain on what has been a memorable season for the 20-year-old. In the midst of all that, Alcaraz has struggled to stay fit at key events, most notably in Basel where he had to withdraw.
Ferrero believes the weight of expectation was too heavy for his protege to carry and this impacted his physical performance on the court. Alcaraz even lost for a third straight match in a row at the ATP Finals before he managed to push the reset button.
The 43-year-old also sought to advise his compatriot about coming to terms with the tennis calendar that begins at the turn of the year in January and ends in November. By learning this, Alcaraz would be astute in taking calculated breaks mid-season and giving his body ample rest time according to his coach.
"All the players arrive with excess miles at the end of the year, there are many weeks in which tournaments are played. And the best take on more matches, more pressure, almost the obligation of having to win in almost every tournament. That excess luggage can weigh more some weeks, and it's having a bit of an effect on Carlos."
"I think that professionally he has to start learning that the world of tennis is from January to November. He has to take his breaks, but this is a wheel which continues, and it is a job and that's where you have to be at."
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