Legendary coach Toni Nadal has claimed that tennis players have more “authority” than ever as he reacted to Carlos Alcaraz’s shock split from Juan Carlos Ferrero.
World No 1 Alcaraz announced on Wednesday that he had split from coach Ferrero after a seven-year partnership, a revelation that took the entire tennis community by surprise.
The partnership between the two Spaniards was one of the most successful in the history of the sport, with Alcaraz winning six Grand Slam titles — and 24 overall ATP titles — under Ferrero’s guidance, alongside becoming the youngest world No 1 in the history of men’s tennis.
‘Uncle Toni’ is more than aware of the demands of an elite-level player-coach partnership, having coached his nephew — Rafael Nadal — from a junior, all the way until the end of 2017.
Now a respected pundit and tennis analyst, Nadal was asked about the split between Alcaraz and Ferrero in an appearance on Spanish show El Larguero.
In quotes reported by Punto de Break, he revealed his surprise at the news, but stressed that the world No 1 was capable of making his own decision on the matter.
He said (translated from Spanish): “It has surprised me, I would have liked them to continue together, but it is true that now the player has much more authority than before.
“Juanki’s [Ferrero’s] demand has improved areas of Alcaraz’s tennis, but ultimately the player is the one in charge.
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“I don’t know if it was the same with Juan Carlos, but with Rafa, from the age of 18, I told him to do as he wished, and whether he wanted to go out or not, that was his problem. I helped him on the court; outside, he made his own decisions.”
Several theories have been proposed about potential reasons for the split, which appeared to happen suddenly — with only one month until Alcaraz competes for the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Some reports have suggested that growing tension between Ferrero and Alcaraz’s father, Carlos Sr, was a key factor in the split, while other sources have suggested that financial or contractual issues developed between the two parties.
There have also been suggestions of Ferrero and Alcaraz disagreeing on a work-life balance, with the 22-year-old’s breaks from tennis matches and exhibition matches often scrutinised.
In his interview with El Larguero, Nadal was asked about how he managed such factors while coaching his nephew, and revealed that he trusted Rafael to make his own decisions.
“No matter how much of a coach you are, when it comes to controlling someone, with older people, it’s no longer appropriate,” said Nadal.
“It’s like being a father: when you stop supporting your child, you can give your opinion, but you can’t impose it.
“I don’t consider a sportsman’s life different from anyone else’s. What matters is what happens on the court; we exaggerate these issues.
“Rafa was responsible enough not to stay out until three in the morning, and I am convinced that Carlos is too. Personally, I don’t like the idea of completely controlling a player.”
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