Carlos Alcaraz told to be ‘more professional’ and avoid taking extra breaks by coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic in Turin

Carlos Alcaraz lost 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals of the 2023 ATP Finals against Novak Djokovic.

Carlos Alcaraz told to be ‘more professional’ and avoid taking extra breaks by coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic in Turin

Juan Carlos Ferrero (L), Carlos Alcaraz (R) (Sources: Tennisnet/X)

Carlos Alcaraz lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the 2023 ATP Finals and thus, his dream to lift the trophy in his debut ATP Finals season came to an end. After the match, Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, was brutally honest while answering some questions from the reporters.

On being asked whether it was the tough annual schedule that led to Alcaraz’s drop in form at the end of the year, he said that the Spaniard should be ‘more professional’. 

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Ferrero agreed that the season was very long, but also reminded him that the ATP does not have any other way to shorten the schedule. He accepted the fact that although Alcaraz might not have played a lot of tournaments, he surely did play a lot of matches that led to mental fatigue. Still, the youngster has to understand that the season is usually this long and he cannot afford to take long breaks. 

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The calendar is as it is and there are obligations from the ATP for the Masters 1000 and from the ITF for the Grand Slams. It's difficult to shorten the schedule like we did this year. He played 18 tournaments, which is really few, but he played a lot of matches and that's what led to this level of mental fatigue at the end. 
Juan Carlos Ferrero via Carrusel Deportivo (H/T: We Love Tennis)

Drawing a parallel to Novak Djokovic directly, he said that if Alcaraz wants to be the best in the world; he has to act like it as well and be more professional. 

He has to learn that the season is long, it's his job and he can't have as many breaks as he would like. If he wants to be the best, he has to act like the best and be professional all year round. This is how it is and we must accept it. The calendar is as it is.

Carlos Alcaraz ends the season as the year-end World No. 2

Despite many efforts, Alcaraz failed to win the year-end World No. 1 title and had to be satisfied with the year-end No. 1 spot. The Spaniard was one of the best players in the world throughout the season and he started the season phenomenally well. Unfortunately, he could not keep it up till the very end of 2023, and in the last phase of the year (after Wimbledon), his form dropped massively. 

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Source: Tennishead)

Alcaraz won 65 matches in 2023 and lost 11, most of which came in the last few months of the year. He won a total of six Slams this year, including the second Grand Slam of his career, which he won at the 2023 Championships by defeating Novak Djokovic in a stellar final. The Spaniard’s pursuit to beat the Serb in becoming the year-end World No. 1 will continue next year.  

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