Serena Williams’ former coach recalls his 2023 prediction for Carlos Alcaraz, who will be released this year

Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci has long been an early supporter of Carlos Alcaraz. Ever since the young tennis player stepped onto the professional tennis court as a teenager, he has attracted the attention of many experts, including Macci. Now that the 21-year-old Alcaraz is enjoying his success, Macci’s predictions about him seem to be coming true.

Carlos Alcaraz won Wimbledon 2024 just a few weeks after winning the French Open. That’s two grand slams on different surfaces in a matter of weeks. Clearly, few players have tasted this kind of success at such a young age.

However, Macci was one of the few who always praised the Spaniard as a future superstar. When Alcaraz lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the US Open last year, Macci insisted he would have an incredible 2024. The coach believed that the semi-final loss to Medvedev would spur Alcaraz on to win more titles for himself.

Well, Alcaraz did. He not only won the French Open and Wimbledon, but also Indian Wells this year. However, to fully realize Macci’s prediction of three grand slams in one year, the Spaniard will have to come out on top at the upcoming US Open.

But whatever happens in the future, Macci remains one of Alcaraz’s biggest fans.

Rick Macci is a big fan of Carlos Alcaraz

While it is common knowledge that Macci has a soft spot for Alcaraz, the coach has often said how much he loves to see the Spaniard play his shots with power and precision. Apart from the fact that he is overwhelmed by Alcaraz’s “speed, agility, quickness, mobility and flexibility,” Macci admitted that the Spaniard puts ‘artistry’ and ‘creativity’ first.

The only thing that has somewhat hindered Alcaraz from moving forward like a freight train is his injuries. Macci acknowledged that and explained that if Alcaraz’s career had not been damaged by injuries, he would have won more than 10 Grand Slams in no time. Moreover, the 69-year-old coach even called him a generational talent and named him the “Spanish magician.”