“We knew the serve was something I had to improve,” said Carlos Alcaraz after his dominant 6-1, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko in the first round of the Australian Open. The Spaniard’s renewed serve was the highlight of the match, a direct result of changes in his racquet and technique.  The World No. 3 added 5 gms of lead tape to his racquet’s neck and that clearly helped him serve better. But interestingly, rather than Alcaraz, it was his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero who caught the spotlight after the match.

The former German pro-Andrea Petkovic talked to Ferrero after Alcaraz’s victory. The conversation revolved around Alcaraz’s serve and his consistency. Ferrero pointed out that the exuberance of youth sometimes leads to Alcaraz’s thoughts wandering. And, that a lot of work has gone into refining his “disjointed” serve, making it more fluid. While he still needs to be more consistent, the improvements are clear, according to the coach.

After that interview, Petkovic was in conversation with Rennae Stubbs and the conversation took an unexpected turn when she confessed an interesting detail about her encounter with Juan Carlos Ferrero. “I was really scared to talk to him,” Petkovic admitted, clearly feeling the effects of her interaction. What followed was a confession that had the room chuckling.

Petkovic, however, couldn’t resist adding her own playful comment, calling Ferrero “the great smelling guy,” and admitting how nervous she was to speak with him. “He smells fantastic, by the way,” she added. Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs chimed in, joining the fun, “Husband and coach, smells great!”

While Petkovic’s tagline for Ferrero is quite interesting, he has been previously praised by the fraternity for his good looks. Remember when the Spanish coach featured a dashing look on Pedro del Hierro’s cover and left the fans impressed?

Carlos Alcaraz’s coach has many qualities to show off

When Ferrero’s photos as a cover model broke in the media, people complimented the coach highlighting how he is channelling the Dorian grey vibe and aging like a fine wine. Known as a handsome tennis personality, Ferrero has another interesting nickname that tells the story of his brilliance in the sport back in the day. Not only did his slender physique make him look good but also enhanced his skills.

According to the ATP’s official website Juan Carlos Ferrero weighs 73kgs with a 1.83 m height. This combination makes him appear slim and young despite his age. And that’s why when he was active on the tour, his speed in covering his part of the court was impressive. He was nicknamed “el mosquito” for this. “Juan Carlos was a great athlete first and foremost. He got around the court as quickly as anybody. He was a powerful player and when he was on, he was rough,” said the former American pro Peter Fleming once.

Juan Carlos Ferrero brought charm to the sport through his good looks and now as a mentor, he is guiding a top player like Carlos Alcaraz. Are you backing Carlos Alcaraz to win the ongoing Australian Open title under the guidance of Ferrero? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.