A week removed from the tennis off-season story of the year, Juan Carlos Ferrero, formerly the coach of world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, has finally broken his silence on what went down when the seven-year partnership decided to part ways after what was its most successful year on court.
In a comprehensive sit-down with Marca, the former world No.1 answered questions many people had been wondering about and speculating on, putting an end to numerous rumours and providing clarity on what actually happened.
Contract Differences and a Lack of Dialogue
When asked the question of the hour, how and why the seemingly inseparable pair decided to call it quits, Ferrero gave a clear answer. Both parties were looking out for their own interests, and surprisingly, neither side chose dialogue or compromise over their differences.
“It’s true that when a year ends, certain things need to be reviewed regarding contracts. And as with any new contract, looking ahead to the following year, there were certain things we disagreed on. As with all contracts, one side pulls in one direction and the other in another. Carlos’s camp thinks about what’s best for him, and mine thinks about what’s best for me. There were certain issues on which both parties disagreed. Perhaps they could have been resolved if we had sat down to talk, but in the end, we didn’t, and we decided not to continue.”
It is interesting to note that not only did Ferrero mention a desire to continue working with Alcaraz in his farewell post, but he also repeated the same sentiment multiple times in this interview. He admitted he is “in pain” and “hurting” over what took place, once again reaffirming that he would have preferred to work things out and stay on board, but that the Alcaraz camp was not as willing.
Finances Not the Breaking Point
In the past week, considerable attention has been given to the idea that financial and monetary disputes ultimately hindered a partnership that saw the player win six Major titles and the coach earn two ATP Coach of the Year awards over a four-year run from 2022. Ferrero was quick to dismiss that narrative.
“The financial aspect has been brought up. And I’ve shown from a very young age that it wasn’t the most important thing for me. There’s been talk that I asked for more, and it’s true that they’ve always been very generous with a very high percentage for those early years when I was so involved with it. And I appreciate that. In the end, I’ve tried to make it clear that the financial issue wasn’t one of the problems, nor was it the reason I was in this project.”
Carlos Alcaraz will enter the 2026 season with the same team he had in 2025, with Ferrero being the sole exception, and Samuel Lopez elevated to the main head coach position. Their first task together will be a historic one: attempting to make Alcaraz the youngest men’s Career Grand Slam winner of all time, a milestone he will target at the Australian Open.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
