Alcaraz's physical trainer blames the factor

Carlos Alcaraz, tennis player number 4 in the ATP ranking, "is not lacking in spark, although he has an important whiplash", as his physical trainer, Alberto Lledó, assures in an interview with Agencia EFE.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
03 August 2022 Wednesday 07:53
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Alcaraz's physical trainer blames the factor

Carlos Alcaraz, tennis player number 4 in the ATP ranking, "is not lacking in spark, although he has an important whiplash", as his physical trainer, Alberto Lledó, assures in an interview with Agencia EFE. As much as the young Murcian tennis player is the second player on the ATP circuit with the most matches played and the one who has won the most in this year 2022, "losing finals is part of the learning process."

From the outside it may seem that Alcaraz, who has played 49 games since January and 42 of them won, is not as fine as he was a few weeks ago, but Lledó, who is the best person to talk about it, does not see it that way. "What could have weighed him down in the lost final this Sunday against Sinner was on a mental level, because he had a great first set and started the second the same, but losing six break balls in a row affected him. There, without a doubt, was the key against a rival who was very good, displaying great tennis and very stable mentally", says the physical trainer of the player from El Palmar.

Lledó, who has been with Carlos for five years, admits that the player accumulates a great load of games in his legs as a result of his good results. "It is true that he has played many games this year, but not in so many tournaments. What happens is that he is advancing rounds. Losing finals is one more experience and something that is part of the learning process in a boy who is still 19 years. These are experiences that you have to go through to grow and you need to have your feet on the ground and work. A blessed problem if that happens," he declared.

The coach sent a message of caution with Alcaraz, who has lost in the finals of the ATP 500 in Hamburg and the ATP 250 in Umag against the Italians Lorenzo Musetti and Jannik Sinner. "There is no need to be alarmed and yes to continue working. The tennis player must be helped to find his tools in moments of tension and it is not normal for him to win all the finals he played. Also, it is better to lose now than not in a while in finals Grand Slam, for example," he said.

Alcaraz's coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero; the physiotherapist, Juanjo Moreno, and Alberto Lledó himself exchange impressions after the championships played by Carlos and "the season is going according to plan, also from the physical point of view", explained the person in charge of this plot. This does not stop and after the clay will come the hard court. The man from Palma has a week off, which will come in handy to reset for the tour of Canada and the United States, where he exploded with his April victory in Miami, with the US Open on the horizon. "He is going to be away from home for six weeks and what he has to do is work to be 100%," Lledó commented.

"Carlos can improve some aspects that have to do with hip rotation and reaction speed, but he is a genetic and physical wonder and he adds a lot of work to that, because without effort it is not possible to be at the level that is required ", he acknowledged, while stating that the player is recovered from the spectacular ankle sprain he suffered on Saturday during his semifinal match in Umag against Giulio Zeppieri.

The 1,000 Masters in Montreal (Canada) and Cincinatti (United States) and then, after a week without competing, the United States Open, the fourth and last Grand Slam of the season, appear on the calendar of the Murcian. Last year, in his debut, he reached the quarterfinals, being the sensation of the tournament. Lledó believes that what lies ahead for Alcaraz and his physical condition allow him to be optimistic: "On the hard court, which is going very well for him because of his aggressive game of going to the net, he can raise the level."