"Leave the father thing to Carlos Alcaraz’s father" – Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero opens up on relationship with Spaniard ahead of French Open SF

Carlos Alcaraz and his team have been gearing up for a showdown against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the 2024 French Open. Alcaraz and Sinner will lock horns at Phillipe Chatrier on Friday, June 7.

It will be Alcaraz's second straight semifinal at Roland-Garros, having cramped out of last year's draw with a loss to Novak Djokovic in the final-four stage. Interestingly, he defeated Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-4 on Tuesday in a rematch of the 2023 quarterfinals at the Major.

Sinner, on the other hand, has made huge progress from his showing in Paris last year that ended in the second round. He overcame Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(3) in his quarterfinal effort this year.

Ahead of the blockbuster clash, Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero chatted with the reporters. Amid many things, Ferrero reflected on his bond with the 21-year-old tennis sensation.

The coach claimed he oscillates between being a strict teacher and a friend to Alcaraz and denied being a fatherly figure for the youngster.

"The relationship remains the same. It is a very close relationship that can obviously differ at times of the day. There are times of the day that I am a pure and simple coach, there are other times that I am a friend because of the type of jokes and always being together and I leave the father thing to his father [Carlos Alcaraz Gonzalez]," Ferrero said.

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"Carlos Alcaraz still lacks maturity because he is very young" - Juan Carlos Ferrero

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Alcaraz; Getty

In the same conversation with the press, Juan Carlos Ferrero talked about the younger generation and their maturity.

"It is true that today's kids, as they get older, always saying yes costs more. And the maturation process is in it. It is a slow maturation process that will happen naturally over the years," the 44-year-old said.

He opined that Carlos Alcaraz also needs to age a bit more to reach a certain level of wisdom.

"At 21 years old I think that none of us here have been mature at that age. Obviously playing tennis you mature much sooner, but I think he still lacks [maturity] because he is very young."

Alcaraz and Ferrero have been together since 2018. Ferrero played professional tennis from 1998 to 2012 and achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 1. He clinched the French Open singles championship in 2003.