World No. 1 and six-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz has drawn the curtain on a defining chapter of his career, parting ways with longtime coach and former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven transformative years.
The decision, confirmed on Wednesday, brings to a close one of the most influential player-coach alliances in modern men’s tennis.
Carlos Alcaraz announced the split on social media, stating that the separation was mutual, though no official reason has been disclosed. Sources indicate Ferrero was eager to continue, making the move both unexpected and widely debated within the tennis community.
“Thank you for turning childhood dreams into reality,” Carlos Alcaraz wrote. “We began this journey when I was barely a kid, and through every stage you stood by me, on and off the court. I valued every single moment we shared.”
Carlos Alcaraz began training under Juan Carlos Ferrero at the age of 15 at the former French Open champion’s academy near Murcia. Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 Roland-Garros winner, meticulously refined Carlos Alcaraz’s raw talent and shepherded him from teenage prodigy to the pinnacle of the sport.
Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz:
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Captured six Grand Slam titles
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Became the youngest world No. 1 in ATP history
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Collected 24 tour-level titles
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Lifted eight Masters 1000 trophies
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Toppled Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, rewriting the sport’s hierarchy
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Saved championship points to win a legendary French Open final
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Claimed Olympic silver at Paris 2024
Carlos Alcaraz announced himself to the world by winning the 2022 US Open, his first major title. His epic five-set victory over Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final cemented his superstar status.
Equally iconic was his miraculous comeback against Jannik Sinner in the 2025 French Open final, widely hailed as one of the greatest matches in Roland-Garros history.
The split comes at a striking moment just weeks after Carlos Alcaraz celebrated finishing the season as year-end world No. 1 alongside Ferrero following the ATP Finals. At that time, there were no outward signs of an imminent separation.
Although a documentary released last year hinted at occasional friction, Ferrero had recently praised Alcaraz’s growing maturity, particularly after his razor-sharp and disciplined performance at the US Open.
Ferrero described the separation as deeply painful, saying:
“This is one of the hardest days of my career. We worked relentlessly, evolved together, and lived unforgettable moments. I wish the journey could have continued, but I believe meaningful paths always cross again.”
Carlos Alcaraz has yet to name a new head coach, though Samuel Lopez who joined the team in 2024 is expected to remain part of his setup. Notably, Ferrero and Lopez were recently honored as ATP Coaches of the Year, underscoring the success of their final season together.
Carlos Alcaraz’s next towering ambition is to conquer the Australian Open and complete the Career Grand Slam. Should he succeed, he would become the youngest man in tennis history to achieve the feat.
While his partnership with Ferrero has ended, Carlos Alcaraz’s ascent is far from complete and the tennis world now watches intently as the sport’s brightest star steps into a bold new era.
