Little 'play', movies with his mother, walks and study of his rivals: the day to day of Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz's training on court 2 ended a while ago, but the boy continues to sign balls and autographs on either side of the stands, which had no place for all those who would have wanted to observe the new idol of the Parisian public up close.. It is incredibly hot in Paris, something that Carlos, his grandfather, celebrates, who had never enjoyed such a climate since he began to go regularly to Roland Garros more than 15 years ago. Because Carlos, like his son, a former player of the same name, and like his grandson, the star of the tournament, breathes tennis on all four sides, and travels from coast to coast of the venue to try to see as many games as possible.

The man who will face Novak Djokovic this Friday in search of his second Grand Slam final did a light session on the court, breaking his habit during this edition of the tournament of parking the racket on rest days. He does work every day in the gym and with his physiotherapist, Juanjo Moreno, who accompanies him to all the tournaments.. After the three five-set matches that he had to play last summer in New York, on the way to the United States Open title, and the physical problems that he suffered in the last part of the course, his team prefers to manage each one with care. of his energies, although in Paris the itinerary is turning out to be much lighter for the moment.

Carlitos does not wear out with the playstation or on social networks either, always well advised by Juan Carlos Ferrero, whose teachings do not remain merely tennis. He prefers to watch a movie with his mother, Virginia, or follow the tournament on television. He remains attentive to the evolution of Darwin Blanch, a 15-year-old junior with whom he usually makes gloves when he is at the Equelite de Villena academy, and examines his own rivals in detail.

Wearing a cap and sometimes sunglasses, he still manages to go unnoticed in a city where he is already beginning to cause fascination.. Last year, in a restaurant in New York, he was able to verify his extraordinary popularity, when the fervor generated around him required the intervention of the personnel in charge of the local security.

No iron routines

When he's not playing, he likes to take a walk around town, never too long.. Unlike Rafael Nadal and many tennis players, he does not have iron routines. He usually dines in different places, with priority for a Japanese restaurant and another local one, L'Avenue, both close to his hotel, located near the Champs-Élysées. In this last restaurant enjoy a more extensive menu and you can eat pasta. A few days ago he visited the store that Nike has in that area of the French capital.

After starting the habit on the advice of Juanjo Moreno, for a long time, whenever he can afford it, he does not forgive the nap. I put it wherever I catch it, it doesn't have to be a bed, Our Father and potty, as Camilo José Cela recommended. Alcaraz is an easy sleeper and conquers Morfeo by lying on the sofa for 30 or 40 minutes.

Calm and eager to reach a good port on Sunday afternoon, when the final is over, the two Carlos, the father and the grandfather, enjoy the exploits of the boy. His grandfather, a draftsman, also accompanies him whenever he can and last year he saw him win the first of his four Masters 1000 in Miami.. His brother Álvaro, José Ramón, a family friend, an uncle of his father, Antonio Martínez Cascales, a member of his technical team and former Ferrero coach, and Albert Molina, his agent, complete, together with the aforementioned people, the Carlitos's entourage, who looks towards the place where the Spanish journalists are sitting, greets them and gives them the best of his smiles when he passes through the press room for any reason.

In the morning, Ferrero spoke to the media to share his reflections on the player he has led to the elite, two days before the crucial semifinal match against Djokovic.. “It has grown very fast. He was always ready to win, even when he was playing challengers and futures. He is prepared to do great things in tennis. He has very big dreams of what he can do. And that is important. That he can beat anyone and believe in himself.”

The 2003 tournament champion and former world No. 1 also spoke about his identity and references. “The examples of Rafa, Roger and Novak are the best, to motivate and fight. But it is impossible to copy technically. Carlos has his own skills. His game is very natural” .