Carlos Alcaraz has been told by coach Samuel Lopez that his outburst at the Miami Open can’t be ‘normalised’. The coach has, however, also played down the situation.
The Spaniard lost in three sets to the American at the round of 32 stage. During the match, Alcaraz couldn’t hide his frustration. At one point, he told his team, “I can’t take it anymore, I want to go home.”
Speaking to Eurosport Sain, he said: “Let’s see, I don’t think it should be normalised in the sense of just leaving it as it is.
“But I also don’t see it as anything surprising. He’s 22 and you have to make him understand that these kinds of comments have a lot of impact, especially outside the team. Internally, we knew how we arrived in Miami and what the situation was.”
He added: “He has to try to control those impulses that he has: he has always had them, and less and less each time. He has to control them, especially for the opponent, both the player and the opposing team, not to show those weaknesses in certain moments.
“But beyond that, it’s a way of expressing himself and releasing some of the tension and fatigue that builds up. There’s no need to give it more importance.”
Lopez continues to coach Alcarez despite the player’s split from long-term coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. The surprise split was announced back in December, with Lopez remaining as part of Alcaraz’s coaching team.
The World number one will look to bounce back from the disappointment of the Miami Open, with attention turning to the clay season. Alcaraz will aim to retain his Monte-Carlo Masters title with the tournament starting on April 4.