Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero feels Carlos Alcaraz deserves to be ranked at No 1 even though he admits he understands why some think that the 19-year-old doesn’t deserve to be ranked at the top spot. Novak Djokovic, who started this season ranked at No 1 in the world, missed two Grand Slams and four Masters tournaments this season.
Also, Djokovic lost 2,000 points after Wimbledon even though he successfully defended his Wimbledon crown. Had Wimbledon points counted and Djokovic was allowed to compete at the Australian Open and US Open, some think the Serb would have probably still been ranked at No 1.
“It’s normal that some people think that Carlos doesn’t deserve this place because it’s true that Djokovic didn’t play two Grand Slams and could have won more, or not, in fact we’ll never know.
But at the end of the day, I think this place is deserved especially if you win almost every match you play during the year,” Ferrero told Punto de Break.
Ferrero on Alcaraz reaching No 1 in Djokovic’s forced absence
“I think it’s been a very successful year.
You have to respect all opinions, but I think it’s deserved,” Ferrero added. In an interview with Sportal, Djokovic was asked directly asked if Alcaraz deserves to be No. 1. Djokovic showed his class and refused to take anything away from Alcaraz, saying that he deserves to be where he is now.
“Alcaraz is the world number one, he is the best. Nothing more to add, the rankings show it. It is a fact that I played less, Wimbledon points did not count, maybe it would have been different in different circumstances, but that is a ’what if.’
It is what it is, he absolutely deserved to be where he is – I congratulate him for all the success he has had. I think it is great for tennis that such a young guy achieved so many historic results and milestones, because that attracts a lot of attention for our sport, so we all benefit.
I am sure that Nadal will try to dethrone him until the end of the year, he has got a chance. And then we turn a new leaf next season, let’s see what happens,” Djokovic told Sportal.
