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‘In Sports, We Always Live in the Moment’- Roger Federer’s Former Coach Refuses to Get Carried Away by Carlos Alcaraz Hype as He Points to the Unpredictability of the Future

Published 08/02/2023, 12:10 AM EDT

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Carlos Alcaraz is being hailed as the next big thing in tennis. Many pundits regard him as the perfect blend of the ‘Big 3.’ Alcaraz’s coach even revealed that they watched Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic so many times that eventually the ATP World No. 1 incorporated and implemented the best qualities and skills of the Grand Slam champions. Now, the young Spaniard has become an inevitable topic while interviewing any tennis entity.

The Swiss Maestro, Federer’s former coach was also faced with a crucial question regarding the 20-year-old’s career run. However, he remains unconvinced and his take is different from the tennis world’s consensus.

Roger Federer’s ex-coach poses crucial concerns regarding Carlos Alcaraz

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Severin Lüthi had coached Federer for 15 long years. Now, he is also spending his time away from professional tennis. In a recent interview with ‘SonntagsBlick,’ he was asked if he agreed with Djoker crediting Alcaraz for uniting ‘the three worlds.’ While the two-time Slam champion is reminding the world of the ‘Big Three’, some think it is too soon to decide. Lüthi seems to be one of those still on the fence.

When Lüthi was asked if Alcaraz was going to dominate the next few years of tennis, he replied, “He definitely has what it takes to win many Grand Slam tournaments. And yet we don’t know what will happen in two years’ time. What if he hurts himself? What if there’s another one coming out in a few years that we all say is even more incredible?”

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The Swiss coach elaborated, “And: How someone will react to the great success, we can not estimate so early. In sport we always live in the moment. I’ve learned that in my career.” But the 47-year-old coach demonstrated that his mind is open. Further in the interview, he amended his view on the Wimbledon champion as he recalled an example from the past.

The Swiss coach questions his own statement as he recalls Pete Sampras’ career

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After expressing his fair share of doubts, Lüthi reminisced, “I guess I’ve been wrong about most of the predictions I’ve made in my life. I still remember: When Pete Sampras had won 14 Grand Slam titles, I said: ‘No one will ever achieve that again!’ Now we already have three players who have 20 or more Grand Slam wins. And it’s not like 250 years have passed since I made my statement (laughs).

Sampras retired in 2002 when the careers of Federer and Nadal were still fledgling. Djokovic, too, was then less known in the tennis world. Pistol Pete’s record stood unbroken for more than six years till ‘King Roger’ won his sixth Wimbledon Championships title in 2009, his 15th Slam. The records only continued to topple from then on. Then, Rafa surpassed his arch-rival by winning 22 majors, and Djoker stunned all by winning 23 majors.

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If Lüthi’s theory is right, Alcaraz has a fair chance to surpass the Grand Slam titles records that his predecessors have set. What do you think about the rising Spaniard’s career? Let us know in the comments.

WATCH THIS STORY: Despite Horrific Failures, Serena Williams’ Ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou Spreads Hope On An End To Novak Djokovic And Rafael Nadal’s Dominance

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Written by:

Krishna Priya

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Vadlamani Krishna Priya is a tennis writer at Essentially Sports. Pursuing her passion for storytelling, she has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. Helped by her cousin who introduced her to the rules and regulations of the game during her childhood, Roger Federer matches became Priya's gateway to the world of tennis.
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Edited by:

Mitali Dey