Juan Carlos Ferrero: "Thiem and Djokovic the only ones who can beat Nadal in Roland Garros"
Juan Carlos Ferrero, former number one in the world and ex-coach of Alexander Zverev , speaks in an interview with Tennishead.com about the big three, their first pursuer and his new protégé, youngster Carlos Alcaraz.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Mar 04, 2020, 06:56 pm
Juan Carlos Ferrero and Alexander Zverev spent seven months together on the ATP tour from 2017 to 2018, but after the Australian Open in 2018, the collaboration ended. With Carlos Alcaraz, however, another protégé of the former world rankings first wrote worldwide headlines. The only 16-year-old was able to play big on his debut on the ATP tour, defeat the then number 41 in the world, Albert Ramos Vinolas, in three sets and would almost have reached the quarter-finals, the young Spaniard had to fight Federico Coria but then just give up in three sentences.
Ferrero predicts Alcaraz's bright future
Alcaraz trains in the academy of Juan Carlos Ferrero, the Equelite Sport Academy. In an interview with Tennishead.com , Ferrero now names the short-term goals with the rough diamond in Spain: "We hope that by the end of the 2020 season he will be close to the top 100 in the ATP world rankings. If he continues to work as before, then he will he can achieve that too. " Alcaraz is currently ranked 315 in the world rankings, although he can look back on a talent test on the ATP tour. The 16-year-old will get another chance at the ATP 500 event in Barcelona. The Spaniard was awarded a wildcard for the clay court tournament in mid-April. And that should only be the beginning, Ferrero believes his protégé has a great future: "He can become one of the best. In a few years I will see him at the top."
But not only his collaboration with Carlos Alcaraz was an issue in the interview with Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world number one was also asked about his assessments of the dominance of the "Big Three". When asked whether Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic could overtake the leader in the Grand Slam title race, Roger Federer, the 40-year-old said: "I really think that they can both do it. But because of his age and the With the grounds where the Grand Slams are played, I think Novak will win the most. "
But the generation behind Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will also have a say for the upcoming Grand Slam titles, according to Ferrero: "I see that the level of the young players is getting closer to the" Big Three ", but I think Federer , Nadal and Djokovic will continue to make great news for a few more years. " Due to the performance from the previous year, according to the Spaniard, only Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas are able to make the big three dangerous in a major: "Only Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas were able to play one of the big three last year defeating in a Grand Slam, so I would say either of them. "
Nadal, Djokovic, Thiem the big favorites in Paris
The Spaniard was particularly impressed by the Austrian's appearances at the first Grand Slam of the year: "Dominic's level at the last Australian Open was stunning. He was very close to winning it," said Ferrero. In the end, it was Novak Djokovic once again who was ultimately allowed to take the Grand Slam Chalice home with him - nothing came of breaking the dominance of the big three. The next chance will be at the French Open in Paris - and here too Ferrero sees Dominic Thiem as one of the big favorites: "At the moment Dominic, together with Novak, is the only one who can defeat Nadal in Roland Garros."