Several individuals have played a significant role in helping Rafael Nadal reach the pinnacle of the sport. Nadal has often highlighted, including in his retirement announcement, the importance of his team in his illustrious career. Among the many is Carlos Alcaraz’s coach, who also played a vital role in the 22-time Grand Slam winner’s success.
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s contributions to Rafa’s success aren’t as evident as the likes of Toni Nadal or Rafael Maymo. However, several not-so-noticeable incidents suggest that Ferrero did have a lasting impact. Ferrero had to take the back seat for the 17-year-old during the Davis Cup 2004 finals. This is his biggest contribution of all.
At that time, his opponent Andy Roddick was delighted at the prospect of facing the teenager rather than Ferrero, as revealed in a special episode of the “Served” podcast.
“Imagine this statement the happiness that I felt because they subbed in Rafa Nadal to play against me on clay, in Spain… Going into that I’m like ‘oh yeah, he could grind, he’s going to be good’,” Roddick said on his latest podcast episode.
Despite Ferrero winning the French Open merely a year prior, the Spanish team decided to play Nadal in the singles contest against Roddick. Getting replaced by a teenager could enrage a player of Ferrero’s stature. However, he supported the Mallorca native wholeheartedly.
This resulted in Nadal upsetting the then-World No.2 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-2. The same four-set thriller led to The King of Clay becoming a household name in the sporting world.
“An absolutely brilliant performance”
Here’s the moment an 18-year-old @RafaelNadal beat the world No.2 Andy Roddick in the 2004 #DavisCup final… pic.twitter.com/UEN4FhF6Ep
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) May 13, 2020
This win certainly helped Rafa witness a boost in his morale, allowing him to tap into his true potential over the next few months. Less than a year later, Nadal won his first major.
After helping Nadal, Ferrero is grooming Alcaraz to be the next big thing
Juan Carlos Ferrero was already an established player when Rafael Nadal turned pro. Ferrero had reached World No.1 in the ATP rankings, lifted the French Open 2003 trophy, and won numerous ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. Hearing lofty praises from one of the best ATP stars helped Nadal be more confident in his abilities.
Now, Ferrero is playing a much larger role in the success of another Spanish prodigy – Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz received training in Ferrero’s academy in Alicante as a kid. Since becoming a professional, Ferrero has joined the youngster’s coaching team.
He’s enabled the El Palmar native to play some of the most dominant tennis of the 2020s. Ferrero played a vital role in Alcaraz reaching World No.1 in the rankings and bagging four Grand Slams even before turning 22.
