Carlos Alcaraz won his 17th career title in Rotterdam (Image: Getty)
has revived a light-hearted rivalry with his own coach after lifting the trophy in Rotterdam.
Juan Carlos Ferrero – a former world No. 1 and Grand Slam champion – has been working with Alcaraz since his junior days.
Aged just 21, Alcaraz has already surpassed Ferrero’s achievements and he made sure to remind his mentor, bringing out the fighting talk after his latest title win.
Alcaraz made his tournament debut at the Rotterdam Open last week. The world No. 3 has typically struggled on indoor hard courts but he won his first title on the surface, beating in Sunday’s final.
The 21-year-old became the first Spanish man to lift the trophy in Rotterdam, Previously, and Ferrero had finished as the runners-up.
It meant Alcaraz surpassed his own coach in two ways. Not only did he go one better than Ferrero at the tournament, but he’s also now won more titles than the 44-year-old did in his entire career.
Ferrero clinched 16 titles during his playing days, and the Rotterdam Open was Alcaraz’s 17th trophy. And the Spaniard was well aware of the numbers, admitting he had a rivalry with his own mentor.
Juan Carlos Ferrero lost to Lleyton Hewitt in the 2004 Rotterdam final (Image: Getty)
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“I am very happy to be the first Spaniard to win here and to have beaten Juan Carlos, with whom we always have a rivalry,” the top seed said after his triumph.
“In general, I am very satisfied to have put my name alongside the winners of this tournament, where there are great legends of our sport who have played and won it.”
Ferrero wasn’t in Alcaraz’s corner this week. Instead, the four-time Grand Slam champion’s secondary coach, Samuel Lopez, travelled with him to Rotterdam.
Lopez joined Alcaraz’s team permanently during the off-season but he has accompanied the world No. 3 to several tournaments in the past, including the Queen’s Club championships.
Earlier this week, the 21-year-old shut down suggestions that he would struggle without Ferrero in his corner. “It doesn’t matter, honestly,” he explained.
“I love being with Juan Carlos, but I just hired a really good coach like Samu, who I trust 100 per cent.
“Right now, when I was at home I was practising with him, so he knows me pretty well. It’s trust and it doesn’t make any difference.”
Ferrero was still watching on from afar and celebrated Alcaraz’s victory with an story. Sharing a photo of his charge with the trophy, he wrote: “Vamoooosss.”