Alcaraz Adds Samuel Lopez To His Coaching Staff

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

WASHINGTON, December 6, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

As Carlos Alcaraz enjoys a week of playing exhibition matches in the United States, the four-time Grand Slam champion from Spain has added an additional coach to his team. Beginning the new season, the 21-year-old Alcaraz will have Samuel Lopez in his corner to work alongside Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been his primary coach since he was 15.

Lopez, 54, who was a member of Spain’s Olympic team in 2000 and 2012, previously was part of the coaching team of former World No. 1 Ferrero and more recently worked with Pablo Carreño Busta of Spain the past nine seasons.

The World No. 3 Alcaraz, for one, believes adding the veteran mentor can help to push him back to the top of the ATP Rankings.

“I think Samuel, for me, is one of the best coaches that we have on tour,” Alcaraz said this week, quoted by the Associated Press, prior to defeating World No. 21 Ben Shelton of the United States, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (7-4), in an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden in New York City Wednesday evening. He will face World No. 18 Frances Tiafoe of the United States in Charlotte, N.C. Friday evening.

“They trust each other 100 percent and being able to travel with both, for me, it’s going to be great,” Alcaraz said of Lopez and Ferrero. “I think I’m going to grow as a player thanks to them. I think we are going to work pretty hard and pretty good for the next season and the next years. Hopefully we are going to make good results together.”

Alcaraz finished the 2024 season ranked No. 3 after reaching No. 1 in the ATP Rankings in 2022, after winning the US Open at 19.

Djokovic Looks To Take A Different View on 2025 Season

As Novak Djokovic embarks on a new year with a new coach, longtime friend and former foe Andy Murray, don’t be surprised if the 10-time winner of the Australian Open is seen playing in more tournaments during the 2025 season.

After all, the Serbian great appeared in only 11 tour-level events in 2024.

“I will play more tournaments,” the 37-year-old Djokovic said during a recent interview with Gazetto dello Sport, an Italian publication, as first reported by The Athletic‘s Charlie Eccleshare and James Hansen. This year, Djokovic skipped five Masters 1000 events – Miami, Madrid, Toronto, Cincinnati and Paris – due to injuries and other reasons. He also passed on playing in the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

After not adding to his record 24 major titles during 2024, during which Jannik Sinner (Australian Open, US Open) and Carlos Alcaraz (French Open, Wimbledon Championships) split the four Grand Slams this year, Djokovic will try again next month to win his 25th career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. If he is successful, Djokovic would surpass Margaret Court, who also won 24 majors.

Djokovic, who finished 2024 ranked No. 7 and won just one title (at the Paris Olympics), has publicly stated that he’s “done” with paying attention to his ATP Tour ranking. He will start his 2025 campaign at the end of the month at the Brisbane International, an ATP 250 outdoor hard-court event, as a tune-up for the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Much to like about Italy hosting Davis Cup Final 8 next three years

There’s much to like about the Davis Cup Final 8 being awarded to Italy the next three years, from 2025-27. After all, Italy has successfully defended its title – is a three-time Davis Cup champion (1976, 2023, 2024) and has been competing in the Davis Cup for nearly 100 years – and deserves to have a chance to play before its home fans. On Monday, the ITF announced its decision about the Final 8, the pinnacle of the annual Davis Cup team competition.

After the last three editions of the six-day Davis Cup finale have been successfully hosted by Malaga in the Andalusia Region of Spain, the 2025 Davis Cup Final 8 will takes place in Bologna, the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. Additionally, there’s a nod to the old Davis Cup Challenge Round returning, which should prove to be better than neutral sites that often have had trouble filling seats.

“We are delighted to partner with the FITP (the Italian Tennis Federation) for the Davis Cup Final 8,” ITF President David Haggerty said in a statement. “Italy has a rich history in tennis and a proven ability to host world-class tennis events. … We are confident that over the next three years working with the FITP we can take the Davis up even higher, providing an unforgettable experience for players and fans alike.”

Angelo Binaghi, President of the FITP, added: “The FITP will build on Italy’s heritage in this competition, working closely with the ITF to deliver a spectacular event for the fans, as well as build an even greater future for tennis’ great global team asset.”

Tsitsipas and Badosa spend off-season vacation in Iceland

While many tennis pros opt to spend their off-season vacation in warm-weather climates like the Cayman Islands, the Maldives or even in Dubai, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa of Spain – one of tennis’ power couples – opted to go on a whale-watching expedition in Iceland and shared their experience via social media.

Remembering Hall of Famer Neal Fraser

Neale Fraser (1933-2024) was an estimable Australian left-hander from Melbourne, who possessed one of the craftiest serves in tennis. The 91-year-old Fraser passed away on Dec. 2. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Fraser won a total 19 major championships across singles, doubles and mixed doubles, including the 1959 and 1960 U.S. Championships and 1960 Wimbledon singles titles.

Fraser, a Top 10 player each year from 1956-62, was ranked the World No. 1 amateur in 1959 and 1960 by Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph.

A member of four Davis Cup champion teams for Australia (1959-62), Fraser became Davis Cup captain for the Australian team in 1970. He held the position for a record 24 years and guided Australia to four Davis Cup titles, in 1973, 1977, 1983, and 1986, Fraser earned 55 wins in 75 ties played.

Fraser, who is one of 20 men to win all four majors in doubles, was elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.

Former New York Times tennis columnist Christopher Clarey called Fraser “one of tennis’ underrated grand champions with his nasty and versatile lefty serve. His passion for the game and Davis cup always came through.”

Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova wrote on X: “He was a true champion on and off the court. Grateful to have known him and thank you Neale for your help back in ’87.”

By the numbers

A record 157 nations competed across all levels of Davis Cup competition in 2024.

“Quotable …”

“There are a lot of things … everything is working in the right way. We have great players, boys and girls, but great persons too, which is I think very important. … The Federation [has been] working in [an] unbelievable way this year. … It’s a lot of things, especially these unbelievable guys. They are not only great players but great persons too.

“We are really proud. I am really proud about these guys.

“It’s coming from their family. We have a technical set also working with them since they are young. We are trying, to be there, not only for them, for their coaches, for their family, too.”

– Filippo Volandri, Italy Davis Cup team captain, on explaining the success of Italian tennis this year, in which Italy won both the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup titles.

 

 

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