Former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero has hit back at Alexander Zverev’s comments about him not respecting the rest of the team.
Ferrero coached Zverev from the American hard court swing and ended their relationship after the German’s five set defeat to Hyeon Chung in the third round of the Australian Open. The world number five claimed yesterday that the Spaniard didn’t respect the team and that lead to a heated argument as well as the departure of Ferrero.
However in an interview with Marca today, Ferrero has now hit back at Zverev and explains that it was his bad discipline and arrogance that lead to his departure, “What I asked from the first day is to respect the team, among other things I asked him to be a little more punctual, telling him that it was not right that he would arrive 20 or 30 minutes late to training day after day. The first months he was more disciplined and respectful, but when he got more confident he no longer respected the guidelines I marked out at the beginning.”
Despite the heated ending to the relationship, Ferrero still has fond memories of his time with the German, “I am left with the experience of having helped him to win his first two masters: In Rome I advised him by telephone, and in Canada, in person, the title in Washington was of great joy. I have told the press I am a great worker which is what I was taught: work, discipline, humility and respect for others.”
It is a great shame the partnership has ended but only time will tell if it was a good decision by Zverev or if his arrogance got in the way of what could have been a better partnership. Alexander Zverev will now play Indian Wells, which starts on the 8th of March.
