Ace tennis coach and mentor Patrick Mouratoglou has opened up on how he came to turn hugely promising Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz into a left-handed player.

In a post on his official Twitter page, Serena Williams’ longtime coach said that he first came across a photograph of the rising Spaniard, and what struck him about it was the uncanny similarity of his shot-making style with Rafael Nadal. It was then that he thought of turning Alcaraz into a left-handed player just to see if his hunch about him was right.

He even shared the image of the 18-year-old, which put the idea into his head of turning him into the next Rafael Nadal. In the photograph, Alcaraz is seen loading himself into a shot just like the ‘King of Clay’ would.

Mouratoglou says he wanted an affirmation that his hunch about Carlos Alcaraz was right

Nicknamed ‘The Coach,’ Mouratoglou tagged the image with a post saying, “When I saw that photo of Carlos Alcaraz, I immediately thought of someone and I decided to turn him into a lefty to make sure that I was seeing well…”

Alcaraz will play Daniil Medvedev for a place in Wimbledon R3 today

Currently ranked 75th in singles, the Murcia-born Alcaraz, opened his Wimbledon campaign with a grueling five-set win over Yasutaka Uchiyama of Japan. In a see-saw affair, the Spaniard bossed the early exchanges with his heavy groundstrokes and coasted to a 6-3 win in the opening set.

Trending

Carlos Alcaraz Injury: Mutua Madrid Open Plans Delayed Further as the Spaniard’s Title Defense Gets Trickier

April 20, 2024 09:00 PM EDT

‘RIP’ – Heartbroken Brother of John McEnroe Mourns ESPN Legend’s Tragic Death Who Last Tweeted About Coco Gauff

April 21, 2024 02:43 PM EDT

Laureus Awards 2024: How and Where Can Fans Watch the Likes of Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, and Others Gracing the Event

April 22, 2024 05:54 AM EDT

After Alexander Zverev’s Outburst, Tennis Fans Bash ‘Unplayable’ Munich Conditions as Felix Auger-Aliassime Turns Second Victim

April 20, 2024 11:01 AM EDT

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Girlfriend Paula Badosa Provides Saddening Health Update After Being Forced To Retire Against Aryna Sabalenka

April 19, 2024 03:58 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

However, the Japanese took Alcaraz to a tiebreak in the second and prevailed 7-6 (7-4) to set up an interesting third set. But it was the Spaniard who had the measure of Uchiyama in the third as he outclassed the Japanese to win it 6-2.

However, showing the tenacity of a seasoned professional, the Japanese fought back brilliantly in the fourth set, winning it by a comfortable 6-3 margin.

Watch This Link: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Others in Controversial Wimbledon Outfits

With all to play for in the decider, Alcaraz got himself a decisive break of serve and held on to his advantage to prevail 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the end.

The young Spaniard will play Russian World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev later on Thursday for a place in the third round.

Despite going down to his idol at the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz had his fanboy moment on his birthday as he posed with Nadal and even had a birthday cake in the bargain.

“Unforgettable, Unique Experience”: Carlos Alcaraz Reveals Practicing With Rafael Nadal Is More Special Than Others