"His dad had to take him away from the court because he was crying": Carlos Alcaraz broke so many racquets growing up says former coach after Buenos Aires temper issues

Former Carlos Alcaraz coach revealed that the Spaniard used to break rackets and didn't handle defeat well during his formative years. The 2-times Grand Slam champion never likes to lose, but according to Kiko Navarro, the frustration was much greater in his early years.

The coach spoke about the new documentary "Sky Young Guns. The New Tennis Titans," which premiered on February 8th and provides an insight into some of the top young tennis players on the Tour.

The documentary explores reflections from close associates and coaches who have worked with Coco Gauff, Holger Rune, Emma Raducanu, and the Spanish player Alcaraz. One of the most striking revelations came from Kiko Navarro.

"Carlos never liked to lose. He broke so many rackets. His dad had to take him away from the court because he was crying. It was something he really had to work on because he had to keep this energy without it affecting him negatively," Navarro said.

On the Tour, it has been rare to see Alcaraz venting his frustration with the racket, and it was one of the most noticeable moments in his recent defeat against Chilean Nicolas Jarry in the semifinals of the Argentina Open, where he couldn't defend his title.

Alcaraz is going through a patchy period in recent months despite being the world No. 2, and he has been overshadowed by Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz hasn't played in a final in the last 6 months, since the Cincinnati Open, a situation that surely doesn't please him. Between 2022 and 2023, he played in 15 finals (11 titles, 4 runner-ups).

The Spaniard will now face the ATP 500 Rio Open, where he reached the final in 2023 but fell to Cameron Norrie, who will again be in the tournament, both being the top favorites. The current world No. 2 will make his debut against the local Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (world No. 117).