Kiko Navarro responds to Carlitos' first coach: "He holds a lot of resentment towards me"

Few people in the tennis world know Carlos Alcaraz as well as Kiko Navarro. Since Carlitos turned 9, Kiko accompanied the talent from El Palmar in his early stage until he was 17. Despite parting ways back then, their relationship remains very affectionate, and Kiko has a close bond with the Alcaraz family, showing how grateful they all are for the work done during that time.

His experience and knowledge of the tennis world are beyond doubt. A respected coach with many years in the tennis world working with many people, he was responsible for shaping Carlitos in his early years. Alongside Alcaraz, Kiko shared many moments over those years, laying the foundation for the tennis player he would later become.

Last week, an interview with Carlos Santos, Alcaraz's coach in the early years (from the age of 9), caused a great stir. His words reached the ears of everyone in Murcia, including Kiko, of whom he said that he joined the team not to contribute anything but simply to bring a sponsor and that it was Santos who left the team of his own volition, which was the best decision he could make.

We spoke with Kiko so he could respond to Santos and tell the truth about what happened during that time, amidst the controversy sparked by those words.

How did you join Carlitos' team?

It all started on a trip to Croatia, where Carlitos was competing in the Under-10 World Championship in Pula. I wasn't coaching Carlos yet. He was training with another group of kids supervised by Carlos Santos. One day, I thought about talking to Postres Reina, a company owned by a close friend of mine, to see if they could help Carlitos financially. His father agreed to it. I had no hidden agenda; I just wanted to help.

What happened next?

Carlitos' father suggested that I accompany the group of kids on that trip. I understand that this could have upset Carlos Santos because, after all, he was the one training them. Upon returning from that trip, Carlitos' father proposed that I join the group to train with the kids alongside Carlos Santos. Sponsorship discussions came later, as a separate matter.

Santos' statement that you joined the team more for the sponsor than for what you could contribute.

Those words sadden me. I understand he holds a lot of resentment towards me. The way he said it, as if I weren't a coach when I have more experience and have played more tennis than he has.

Have those words about you affected you?

People have shown me excerpts from his book that deeply saddened me. He lied. We worked together on the court, and at the same time, he was writing the book, taking jabs at me. He is painting a bad picture of himself in the eyes of everyone in Murcia. I don't care. I find it amusing. It seems more like a strategy of his to sell more books.

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He said that the best decision he made was to leave Alcaraz's team.

That statement is very strong. You cannot imagine the number of WhatsApp messages I received with that headline; people were amazed. Murcia is very small, and people in the tennis world, well-known individuals, were astonished. Those close to us know that it's not true. Clearly, he didn't leave Carlitos; he was invited to leave for whatever reason. There's no need to elaborate on the reasons. If a phase has ended, it has ended. It's like when my time with them ended. I would never say the same. I don't understand why he made that statement. All of this saddens me greatly because surely it affects Carlitos or his father. It's a pity for them to see these things. I don't want this to turn into a conflict.

What is your relationship with him like?

We had a cordial relationship, but I know he held a lot of resentment towards me. One day, he approached me at the Club to ask why I was claiming to be Alcaraz's first coach, which I never said. That's something the press puts out there, not my doing. It doesn't matter to me. I've always acknowledged that Carlitos' first coach was his father, who was the one to put a racket in his hand. If later on, Carlitos trained with a group of kids under Carlos Santos, who became his first coach, then great. I only talk about my time with him, which began with that trip to Croatia, from 9 to 17 years old. I think he seeks attention, probably related to selling more books. I thought differently of him; he has disappointed me.

Full Interview with Kiko Navarro:

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Kiko Navarro responde al primer entrenador de Carlitos: "Me tiene mucho rencor"