In mid-December, Carlos Alcaraz announced his departure from Juan Carlos Ferrero after 7 years of attachment. This is surprising information for the world tennis community ahead of the 2026 season.
Because during their collaboration, Juan Carlos Ferrero helped Carlos Alcaraz become the world No. 1 player, winning 24 major titles, including 6 Grand Slams (2 US Open, 2 Roland Garros and 2 Wimbledon).
Sharing after leaving Alcaraz, Juan Carlos Ferrero emphasized that it was not "what he wanted". However, he himself was not satisfied with some terms in the new contract and the two sides could not reach an agreement.
I am loyal to my values and beliefs. There are some things I simply cannot accept, because I am such a person," Ferrero shared.
After parting ways with Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz is training with coach Samuel Lopez, to prepare for the 2026 Australian Open - the first Grand Slam of 2026. If he wins this tournament, Alcaraz will be the youngest player to own all 4 prestigious Grand Slams.
According to Steve Johnson, the former US player who won an Olympic medal, in addition to Samuel Lopez, there are two former Spanish players who can replace Ferrero in leading Carlos Alcaraz in the long term, Carlos Moya and David Ferrer.
I am completely sure that Alcaraz will sign someone. Intuition tells me that he may hire Carlos Moya or David Ferrer, to continue to stick with Spanish coaches.
He doesn't need to change much technically, but Alcaraz needs to manage the lifestyle and expectations of a world number one player. Ferrer didn't win the Grand Slam, but he knows what it feels like to be in the Top 10 of the world for more than ten years.
Previously, former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli expressed concern that Carlos Alcaraz could soon retire from his peak playing career after leaving coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
She shared: "I am really concerned in a certain aspect. Alcaraz possesses a rare innate talent, but that also means it is not easy to find a suitable new coach to start over.
He needs a clear plan with the right orientation. Otherwise, Alcaraz could completely leave tennis at the age of 25 or 26, just like Bjorn Borg. Carlos is a genius and we don't want to witness that scenario.
