“He was 14-years-old and I was top-10… but he let me win”: David Ferrer’s remarkable anecdote meeting Carlos Alcaraz

Spain’s Davis Cup coach David Ferrer revealed in a recent interview details about the first training sessions when he met the young Murcian. Ferrer described how impressed he was by the maturity, intensity, and talent of the current world No. 1 – who will play this Sunday in the Australian Open final against veteran Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz is only 22 years old and is aiming for his 7th Grand Slam title – if things go well against Djokovic. He could become the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam (winning all four majors over a career). Alcaraz’s precocity and early maturity were noticeable to Ferrer when he first met 14-year-old Carlitos.

“I have an anecdote with Carlos. When he was 14, I was top 10, and before coaching Juan Carlos (Ferrero), someone told me, ‘Hey, I have a player from Murcia that I signed, he’s amazing,’” Ferrer said in a recent interview with Cadena Ser, looking for a sparring partner for his training sessions. “I was very demanding with training, and I said, ‘Hey, don’t waste my time. He’s 14, and I want to train properly; I’m in preseason,’ but he insisted, ‘No, trust me.’”

The impact of Alcaraz during those sessions surprised Ferrer from day one. “So we trained, and I was blown away. I remember pushing him hard — when you push the ball, a pro player can handle it, most others can’t.” The Murcian’s ability to maintain intensity and accelerate his game was decisive: “Carlos? Bam. He handled the first shot, the second too, and on the third, he accelerated. You think, ‘Wow, what is this?’ It just blew your mind. He was like Rafa as a kid, I’m sure he was 14.”

Ferrer recalled a key moment in a super tiebreak during those sessions: “We played a super tiebreak. I won 18-16, but I think he let me win because he was really close to beating me.” He also highlighted the similarity to Rafael Nadal in terms of respect and competitive attitude: “I think out of respect, because he’s like Rafa — different cultural background. He’s from Murcia, Rafa from Mallorca. They’re culturally different, but he’s an amazing guy.”

Beyond his game, Ferrer emphasized Alcaraz’s personality. “Not just as a tennis player, but as a person — very normal, very natural. Always smiling, very approachable.” Contrary to some perceptions of young talents, Ferrer assures that Alcaraz has always been professional and disciplined: “Carlos is very grounded and extremely professional. Obviously, when you’re young, you like to experiment and go out, but he’s not someone who enjoys nightlife.”

Finally, Ferrer praised the Murcian’s work ethic and maturity off the court: “I’ve seen him do things that even… well, I won’t say names, but I’m sure he didn’t do as a young player, or even players very important in Spanish tennis.”

Alcaraz will seek his 7th Grand Slam title this Sunday against none other than 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. It will be a special match, as it is also the first time he will play a professional final without the support of his long-term coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The trip to Melbourne is Alcaraz’s first professional tournament without Ferrero, although the Spaniard does not plan to bring anyone new to the team for now. Leadership has been taken over by Samuel Lopez, who joined Ferrero in 2025 to give new energy to the team, and was chosen by Alcaraz and his team to lead as coach in upcoming challenges.

It remains to be seen if on Sunday Alcaraz can lift a new Grand Slam trophy and continue making history with his precocity.