Former Spanish player David Ferrer has backed Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard’s mix start to the ongoing season. Alcaraz was brilliant in the first week of the Australian Open but lost to Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinal in four sets.

Subsequently, the youngster could not defend his Argentina Open title as he was stunned by Nicolas Jarry in the semifinal of the tournament. The 20-year-old then was forced to retire hurt against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro in the opening round at Rio Open due to an ankle injury.

“Alcaraz is No. 2 in the world, but you cannot demand that a 20-year-old tennis player always win,” Ferrer said in a press conference in Rio (via Eurosport).

“He is a special player, of the caliber of Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, or Novak Djokovic. But he still has a lot of time and you can’t ask him to win everything. I don’t remember Rafa, Djokovic winning everything at that age,” he added.

Ferrer reckons Alcaraz, already a two-time Major champion, is going through a transition and there will be pressure on him to deliver at the top stage.

“It is logical that we want him to win everything and in the last year and a half he has played at a very high level, having won two Grand Slams,” Ferrer said in the aforementioned press conference.

“Now Carlos [Alcaraz] is in a year of transition, a year where it is logical that there will be more pressure because you have to maintain the high level and also because his rivals know him better,” Ferrer said.

Alcaraz’s injury is not serious as he has suffered a Grade 2 sprain in his ankle and he will be seen in action in the exhibition match against Rafael Nadal.