Former world number one
Andy Roddick has lambasted individuals
who are calling for the change in coaching staff of Spain’s
Carlos Alcaraz
after recent struggles. The 21-year-old is regarded as one of the best players
currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category, along with the likes
of Italy’s Jannik Sinner, is going through a rough patch, according to his own
high standards.
He was tipped to reclaim the top spot in ATP rankings once
it was announced that Sinner will stay out of action for three months after
agreeing a deal with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for failing two dope
tests in March last year.
However, the Spaniard failed to live up to the hype, which
means that he will not be able to claim the top spot in men’s tennis in the
singles category before the return of the Italian tennis star in May. The
former world number one is currently taking part in the Monte-Carlo Masters,
where he registered a round of 32 triumph against Argentina’s Francisco
Cerundolo with a score of 3-6, 6-0, 6-1. Before playing in Monaco, he was
knocked out from the Miami Open after losing to Belgium’s David Goffin with a
score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Those performances led some tennis pundits to call for a
change in the coaching staff of Alcaraz. However, former world number one
Roddick, while talking to Tennis Channel, slammed individuals for demanding
that. He stated that it is time for everyone to ‘reset’ their expectations from
the 21-year-old.
“Do you guys remember the crazy times before the Big Three
when players didn’t make the finals every week,” Roddick said. “Like honestly,
we have to reset expectations and one of Annacone’s former charges, Pete
Sampras, as great as he was, winner of 14 Majors, six year-end No. 1’s, he
would lose third round sometimes. He just would. He would win two Majors a year
instead of three.” We have to reset expectations. Carlos Alcaraz already has
more Majors than Andy Murray, he’s halfway towards icons like Connors, Agassi.
It’s just absurd what he’s done. We need to reset a little bit and anyone
calling for a coaching change doesn’t know anything about coaching.”