"I don't even look, I know he's going to give me a slap" - Carlos Alcaraz on playing fun shots despite being 'restrained' by coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz has shed light on avoiding his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's gaze after defying his wishes to play risky and fun shots during matches. The 21-year-old humorously remarked that Ferrero has a "slap" ready for him from the player's box in such instances.

Alcaraz recently clinched his fourth Grand Slam title spectacularly, beating Novak Djokovic in the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final. The Spaniard was at his explosive best during the contest, living up to his reputation as a risk-taking player.

However, Juan Carlos Ferrero disapproves of his protege opting for entertaining and flamboyant shots instead of playing it safe. In an interview with ABC after his Wimbledon triumph, Carlos Alcaraz admitted that he often feels "restrained" from playing his natural game due to the potential consequences of defying Ferrero's preferences.

The World No. 3 also disclosed that he is aware of Ferrero's ire whenever he attempts a risky and fun shot in a match, revealing that he tends to not look in the direction of his player's box because he knows there's a "slap" awaiting him from his coach.

"Many times I feel more restrained than I should because of him. Because of what might happen to me later. Yes, I notice it, yes. Every time I do one of those shots that are not supposed to be taken, the ones for fun, sometimes I don't even look at it because I know that he's going to give me a slap from the box," Carlos Alcaraz said.

During a press conference amid his Wimbledon campaign, Alcaraz shared that he feels greater confidence when playing risky shots over effective ones, even if it occasionally results in a "disaster."

The 21-year-old emphasized that playing fun shots helps him break the tension of the match by bringing a smile to his face and allowing him to relax.

"Sometimes I have to go for the effective one rather than the other options. Sometimes I do it because I feel so nervous and it’s the kind of thing that relaxes me. Because I’ve got a smile on my face doing disaster sometimes. In that moment I was feeling really calm. I was feeling that I can do these kind of shots," Alcaraz said.

"I have the confidence that when I hit these shots, I think they’re going to go in. Sometimes as I said, it’s a disaster. But it helps me a lot to relax, smile, & have fun on the court. But sometimes it’s difficult to do the simple shots," he added.

"There are plenty of moments where I don't really know what to do" - Carlos Alcaraz on the importance of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's advice during matches

Carlos Alcaraz with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero (Source: Getty)

Despite feeling "restrained" by his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's wishes during matches, Carlos Alcaraz has never shied away from emphasizing the importance of Ferrero's presence in his player's box.

In an interview with L'Equipe after his triumph at the French Open, the World No. 3 admitted that there are many occasions when he is unsure of what to do during a match, leading him to rely on Ferrero's instructions.

"Honestly, in the vast majority of cases, I apply what Juan Carlos advises me to do. From outside the court, we can see much better... So I apply. There are plenty of moments where I don't really know what to do on the court," Carlos Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz expressed a similar sentiment after his third-round win at the claycourt Major, asserting that he needs "everything Ferrero tells him from the box" to produce his best performance.