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Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero has said that his ward is fond of playing on grass. The Spanish teenager is gearing up to compete at Wimbledon, which starts next week.
Alcaraz has had a blistering start to his 2022 campaign, winning four titles, including two Masters 1000s. However, he's a relatively unknown entity on grass, where he has won only one of his two matches (both at Wimbledon).
The 19-year-old was scheduled to play at Queen's last week, but he opted out due to discomfort in his elbow, which has been spotted wrapped in bandages.
Following a two-hour training session at the All England Club, Ferrero told Eurosport the reason behind Alcaraz's bandaged elbow.
"It (the elbow) has been bothering him a bit, and the bandage is to protect a little more," Ferrero said.
The former World No. 1 was quick to add that Alcaraz likes to play on grass and that preparations are going well ahead of the Championships.
"Carlos likes to play on grass, he likes to play here. Physically, he has been working well and at a tennis level, taking care of his elbow a little, which had the bandage. That the balls are so heavy bothers him a bit. This week is important to prepare, feel good and that everything is in the right place and to fight," Ferrero added.
"This tournament is the most difficult, there are always many surprises on this surface" - Juan Carlos Ferrero on Carlos Alcaraz's chances at Wimbledon
On his Wimbledon main draw debut last year, Carlos Alcaraz lost in straight sets to second seed Daniil Medevedev in the second round.
With no grass tournaments under his belt before his second appearance at SW19, Alcaraz could have his task cut out. His coach Ferrero has tried to temper expectations, observing that Wimbledon is one of the most difficult tournaments to contest.
"This tournament is the most difficult, because it is the one with the least preparation," said Ferrero. "Physically you have to arrive better, because it is the one that recovers the most from one match to the next. This tournament is an unknown quantity. There are always many surprises on this surface. You can complicate a game that you see well and vice versa."
Carlos Alcaraz is due to play his first match at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic on Thursday as he winds up his preparations for Wimbledon.
