Boris Becker gives crucial off-season advice to Alcaraz despite coaching rival
Boris Becker has offered Carlos Alcaraz some key advice as he heads into the off-season after a difficult second half of the season. The world No 2 won six titles between February and July, most notably defeating Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon. But he struggled to go deep at tournaments later in the year and Becker knows exactly what Alcaraz should work on in the off-season to combat that. The 56-year-old currently coaches Alcaraz’s young rival Holger Rune but was still happy to give the Spaniard some guidance.
Alcaraz had a triumphant start to the season, winning Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, Queen’s and Wimbledon. The 20-year-old became the first player in a decade to beat Djokovic on Centre Court and was the first man outside of the Big Four to lift the title SW19 since 2002.
The world No 2 had a few other big runs after that – reaching the Cincinnati final and the semi-finals of both the US Open and the ATP Finals – but he was unable to win another title. He also went on a three-match losing streak spanning defeats in the last 16 of Shanghai, his opening round at the Paris Masters and his first round-robin match at the ATP Finals.
As Alcaraz heads into the off-season, Boris Becker has warned him of how tough it is to stay on top – especially when his young rivals are catching up to him. And the six-time Major winner had some advice on what he could work on in a bid to have a strong 2024 season.
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“Anyone can have a good tournament or a good year from time to time, but maintaining that level over the years is the real challenge,” Becker explained, per Eurosport. “Dueling with Djokovic, becoming No 1 in the world and winning Wimbledon for the first time, maintaining this level is the most difficult thing in tennis.”
Alcaraz quickly cemented himself as a top player when he won the US Open and first rose to world No 1 as a 19-year-old back in 2022. But Becker now believes that his opponents are figuring him out while Alcaraz himself is standing still.
He continued: “The other players have realised how to play against Alcaraz to have a chance against him. That’s what has happened. Other players have evolved and Alcaraz has not. Of course, he continues to play fantastic tennis.
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“I love watching him play tennis at his best, with his footwork, his variations, his serve and his forehand. But the best players have adapted to this and know how to counteract it.” While Becker has another player to worry about during the off-season after extending his partnership with Rune, he also had an idea of what Alcaraz could do with his own coach – former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
“He will now train something new or different with Juan Carlos Ferrero in winter and will improve,” the German added. “His task is to continue developing his strengths. And I am also convinced that we will see a very strong Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Australian Open.”
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