'I didn't get too close to Roger Federer', says young ATP ace

Carlos Alcaraz is one of 72 players who have been forced into solitary confinement following recent positive cases on charter flights to Melbourne. The 17-year-old Spaniard is certainly one of the brightest prospects in men's tennis, thanks to the supervision of former world number 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero. The Iberian became the first born in 2003 to qualify for the main draw of a Grand Slam, confirming to fans and professionals that he has considerable potential. Alcaraz has repeatedly reiterated that he is a great admirer of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who have monopolized the circuit over the past decade and a half. The Big 3 have won an impressive 57 Grand Slam titles, preventing many rivals from expressing their full potential. Even after passing the age of 30, the three sacred monsters continued to dominate without interruption, delaying the long-awaited generational change each time more. In a recent interview with Marca, Alcaraz recalled his training with Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.

Alcaraz on his training session with Roger Federer

"I would like to train with Rafael Nadal, with Novak Djokovic, in general with the top (players)," Carlos Alcaraz said. Carlos Alcaraz had a training session with Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2019, but he couldn't talk much with the Swiss because of his shyness and also because of the language barrier. "I didn't speak much English, I was nervous, and I'm shy at first. I didn't get too close to him (Roger Federer)," Alcaraz said. Carlos Alcaraz is one of the 72 players who have been put into hard quarantine following the multiple positive COVID-19 tests on the chartered flights to Melbourne. The 17-year-old revealed that the lockdown experience was 'overwhelming' at first, but that he has now gotten used to it. "It was overwhelming at the beginning when I thought about the days that I had left to be inside the room. I didn't know if I was going to be able to hold out. Now I handle it well," Carlos Alcaraz said. "I am always trying to be positive," the 17-year-old said. "I do things all the time, physical, I study to get a driver's license, I speak in English with a friend, the teacher, video calls with my parents, with my friends, with the people of Murcia. If you have little free time, everything goes faster." The Australian Open will begin on February 8, but before that, there are many events for players to get themselves ready. Hopefully, things will run smoother once the tournaments start. What are your predictions for this year’s AO title?

 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2NuYI2y