Alcaraz and Ferrero Part at the Pinnacle
Carlos Alcaraz ends his seven-year run with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, the partnership that built a No. 1 ranking and six majors, just as 2025’s pressures peak into new horizons.
In the hush following the 2025 ATP season, Carlos Alcaraz delivered news that stunned the tennis world: his split from longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. This duo, linked since Alcaraz was a 14-year-old prodigy, amassed 24 tour-level titles, including six majors and eight ATP Masters 1000 crowns. The announcement, shared on social media amid the off-season calm, arrives as the Spaniard holds the PIF ATP No. 1 spot, a position Ferrero helped him claim at age 19 in 2022.
Alcaraz’s words carried the weight of gratitude and finality, reflecting on a journey that turned boyhood aspirations into reality. Ferrero, a former Roland Garros champion, guided him through the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals victory and his maiden major at the 2022 US Open. Their bond extended beyond courts, shaping resilience amid the tour’s grind.
“It is very difficult for me to write this post,” Alcaraz wrote in Spanish. “After over seven years together, Juanki and I have decided to end our time together as coach and player. Thank you for making my childhood dreams a reality. We started on this road when I was just a boy and for all this time you have been with me on an incredible journey, on and off the court. I have enjoyed every step with you so much. We have reached the top, and I think that if our sporting paths have to separate it should be from there, from the place we always worked for and aspired to reach. I have so many memories that it would be unfair to choose just one. You made me grow as an athlete, but more importantly as a person. The thing I value the most is that I enjoyed the process. I will never forget the journey we went on together. Now is a time of change for both of us, new adventures, new projects. But I am sure that we will approach them in the correct way, giving our best, as we always have. Always moving forward. With all my heart, I wish you the best for what is to come. I am happy I can say we always gave our all, that we gave each other everything.”
Season’s toll sharpens tactical edges
The 2025 calendar hammered Alcaraz with unyielding demands, from clay-court marathons at Roland Garros to grass sprints at Wimbledon, where every heavy topspin rally tested endurance. Ferrero’s adjustments proved vital, like refining the 1–2 pattern on hard courts to exploit weak returns during Indian Wells clashes, keeping momentum alive amid roaring crowds. Deep Davis Cup runs added team pressure, forcing quick shifts from baseline grinding to net poaches that echoed the psychological intensity of national duty.
In Rome’s semifinals, Alcaraz unleashed inside-in forehands to dismantle defenses, a move drilled under Ferrero’s eye to counter lobs in heated exchanges. Whispers of fatigue emerged after back-to-back Masters, where slice approaches on slippery surfaces preserved energy for five-set battles. This year’s rhythm, blending European swings with hard-court fury, highlighted the coach’s role in turning doubt into dominance, even as unforced errors in Australian Open quarters revealed the mental fray.
Ferrero’s influence spanned surfaces, teaching adaptation from aggressive crosscourt lasers on grass to patient down-the-line passes on clay, where low bounces demanded precision. Their work on second-serve underspin helped navigate indoor hard’s pace, sustaining the No. 1 perch through rankings math that left no margin for slip-ups. As victories mounted, the partnership faced evolution, paving the way for Alcaraz’s continued collaboration with Samuel Lopez.
Reflections uncover shared growth
Ferrero’s response laid bare the emotional core of their seven years, blending nostalgia with pride for the triumphs forged together. He credited Alcaraz’s fire for elevating every session, from honing heavy topspin serves to overcoming injury setbacks that punctuated the path. Laughter in practice and support through losses wove a fabric stronger than titles alone.
“Today is a difficult day,” Ferrero wrote on social media. “One of those when it’s hard to find the right words. Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when there are so many shared experiences behind it. We have worked hard, grown together, and shared unforgettable moments. I want to thank you for the time, the trust, the learning, and above all, for the people who have surrounded me throughout this journey. I take with me laughter, challenges overcome, conversations, support during difficult moments, and the satisfaction of having been part of something truly unique. Today, a very important chapter of my life comes to an end. I close it with nostalgia, but also with pride and excitement for what may come next. I know that everything I have lived has prepared me to be better. Thank you, Carlos, for the trust, the effort, and for making your way of competing make me feel so special. I wish you all the best, both professionally and personally. I would also like to thank the entire team for making my work easier throughout all these years. With you, I have learned that work is not just about tasks or results, but about the people who walk alongside you. Each and every one of you has left a mark on me that I will never forget. We have been an incredible team despite the difficulties, and I am sure you will continue to achieve great success. I wish I could have continued. I am convinced that good memories and good people always find a way to cross paths again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The coach praised the team’s role in easing the load, emphasizing how human connections fueled their success against top rivals like Novak Djokovic, where tactical chess turned on down-the-line winners. Alcaraz’s evolution as a person shone through, from junior circuits to Olympic dreams, with Ferrero’s calm anchoring volatile moments. This farewell, though poignant, signals readiness for 2026’s challenges.
New paths promise tactical renewal
Entering the new year, Alcaraz carries Ferrero’s blueprint into matchups demanding fresh layers, like quicker returns against left-handers’ spins on rebound-ace courts. Lopez’s input may sharpen transitions, building on inside-out forehands that wrong-footed foes in past Wimbledons. The tour’s packed slate, from Australian Open defenses to Monte Carlo clay, awaits a player whose poise turns pressure into propulsion.
Ferrero’s legacy lingers in every point, from volleys on grass to endurance in clay attrition, as Alcaraz eyes sustained dominance. Whispers of burnout fade against the drive that secured 2025’s points haul, hinting at innovations in serve placement for tiebreak crucibles. Their paths may cross again, but for now, the Spaniard steps forward alone, arsenal primed for the next surge.
