Carlos Alcaraz aims to gain edge by hiring close friend and trusted ally to coaching team
ATP
While Carlos Alcaraz is still a multiple major champion winning two alone last year, the attempt to gain an edge in particular on his rival Jannik Sinner has led him to add another member to his team.
He has expanded his team to appoint a new physiotherapist to add to his setup in a similar vein to him adding Samual Lopez to the team to join Juan Carlos Ferrero back in January.
Like Lopez, it is a trusted member of the team that is added as Fran Rubio joins Juanjo Moreno as his physio. He is a close friend and trusted physiotherapist.
He took on Botic van der Zandschulp in the first round on Monday and Rubio was in his player's box with Moreno back home.
According to the news, Alcaraz “wants competent and trustworthy people close to him. The Murcian increasingly prioritises the personal aspect, without leaving aside the professional, logically. In this case, Fran Rubio meets both requirements. Club mates for years, they have a great friendship and Alcaraz fully trusts his work to help him take care of his physique during some parts of the tour.”
But Moreno being at home doesn't mean too much as he supposedly will still lead the team in that department. It will seemingly work like the Ferrero-Lopez tandem. When Ferrero like this week isn't there, it is Lopez job.
“It doesn’t matter, it’s clear that I love spending time with Juan Carlos, but Samu is also a great coach who I trust 100%," said Alcaraz this week.
“I was training with Juanki at home and he knows me perfectly, Samu also knows me, I trust him 100%, so nothing changes.”
Sinner has long had this method albeit he will move on from it at the end of the season as Darren Cahill will retire from the sport as a coach but he has long had Simone Vagnozzi also by his side. A method used more and more by top tennis stars to gain an edge with two opposing views or those who have the same view coming together to add to the stock of a star.
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