(Reuters) – Andy Murray said he hopes world number one Carlos Alcaraz can follow his instincts and continue playing tennis with freedom and fearlessness, even if that approach appears a bit “kamikaze” at times.
Murray predicted two years ago that the reigning U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion was destined for success, and this week the former world number one said there was more to the 20-year-old’s game than his power and technical ability.
“The thing that I love about watching him is the freedom that he plays with, and part of that is youth, I think. I just hope he doesn’t lose that,” Murray said on the ATP website during the Canadian Open. “Sometimes it looks a little bit kamikaze, but he just is totally instinctive. And I love that.”
Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray said he was convinced Alcaraz would have a glittering career after a conversation with the Spaniard’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero when the youngster was still outside the top 50 in the world.
“I asked Ferrero, ‘Does he love tennis? Does he work hard?'” Murray said, adding that former world number one Ferrero assured him Alcaraz was “really good with that stuff”.
“That was enough for me, having seen his game and hearing from his coach and someone who knows what hard work is like that he was going to go on potentially to have a great career.”
Both Murray and Alcaraz are in action in Toronto this week as they gear up for the U.S. Open, which begins on Aug. 28.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
