“Alcaraz gets more itchy playing FIFA than with the racket in hand”

Carlos Alcaraz begins the defense of the ATP number 1 at the Miami Masters 1,000 that he recovered last Sunday in Indian Wells and, thousands of kilometers away in El Palmar, his hometown, another young tennis player and friend of his, Pedro Cobacho, with whom he had an interesting rivalry, follows his career “with pride” and affirms that “it will mark an era.”

This other young man, 20 years old -he is 10 months older than Carlos-, He competed for a long time with Alcaraz.

“We have known each other almost since we were born. I would be three years old and he would be two. We are both from El Palmar and we started training together at his father’s school at Club de Campo. Since we had a similar level they put us in the same group and then, as we stood out, we shared space on the track as we went up the categories,” Pedro told EFE in an interview.

“There began a very good and healthy rivalry because we competed both in training and in tournaments. We spent many hours on the track and when we finished we went to the fronton. Since we were little we have been good friends, we traveled together, we even shared a room and we crossed paths in championships, in some cases fighting in finals. Sometimes he won and other times I did, and there was a pique that made us remind each other of the results, but always in good spirits”, he added.

This balance of forces lasted “until Alcaraz gave his level growth spurt at about 15 years of age and there was no color anymore,” according to Cobacho, who was regional champion and national runner-up in the under-12 category. and he won, among others, the Llucmajor tournament, in Mallorca, in the doubles draw, precisely with Alcaraz as his partner and both having Carlos Santos Bosque as their coach.

“Obviously there are very few who become professionals and it cost me the fact of not managing the defeat after having won so much when I was younger. Of course I would have liked to go further and I feel a certain melancholy for that life of travel and tournaments, which was also my life, but I chose another path”, he said.

However, he is still linked to the world of racket and He is a monitor at the MET Carlos Alcaraz Tennis Academy by Reina, managed by the father of the current world number 1 and who carries out his activity at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murciaand he wants to continue dedicating himself to it, for which he studies at the University of Murcia the double degree of Sciences of Physical Activity and Sports and Nutrition.

When referring to his friend’s successes He does not hide his satisfaction at a brilliant career that surprises him only in part.

“Since he was little he said that his dream was to be number 1 in the world and he did not stop until he achieved it and the next one will be to take more titles and beat so many tops in his career. Carlos is a great worker, he always has been, and that will help him. Honestly, I’m so glad that you’re doing great. Well, he is my friend and I have no doubts that he will mark an era, since at the age of 19 and with just one at the highest level, he has already won a Grand Slam and three Masters 1,000. I would love for him to break many records and I am sure that he will not get tired of winning because he is very ambitious ”, he assured.

He had no doubts about what stands out most about Alcaraz’s game. “In addition to the blows he has, it is his intelligence, which makes him understand everything very soon and make the best decisions, that and the fact that at the slightest bit he sees blood he goes for the rival’s wound, as they say. He knows how to play and keeps his cool in difficult moments. He reminds me of Djokovic because he is also a dominant player, although Carlos is even more explosive and reaches everyone”, he pointed out.

“Carlos wants to win at everything and I would say that playing FIFA is more stinging than with the racket in hand,” he said.and he explained that when he goes to El Palmar they usually see each other and play paddle tennis as a couple, “but it is true that he has more and more commitments and it is more difficult to coincide because he is almost always away”.

Besides, He admitted that Alcaraz carries fame “very naturally”: “When we ever go out to eat at a certain time it can be somewhat uncomfortable because everyone wants a photo with himbut he likes it and he really takes it well.

“In the town, specifically, there is a craze for him and it was noticed, above all, after winning the US Open and the Mutua Madrid Open, but popularity and fame have not made him change because he is a very natural and simple person, very transparent, a boy with great kindness, the same kindness he had as a child and, although it is clear that life can change you due to many circumstances, he continues to be the same”, added Pedro Cobacho.