Carlos Alcaraz Reportedly Almost Hired Andy Murray to Replace Juan Carlos Ferrero As Coach After 2024 Season

A tennis insider claims Carlos Alcaraz's team wanted to fire Juan Carlos Ferrero after the 2024 season.

Carlos Alcaraz Reportedly Almost Hired Andy Murray to Replace Juan Carlos Ferrero As Coach After 2024 Season

Andy Murray, Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Image via X/US Open Tennis, Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Jonay Amaro)

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Carlos Alcaraz is no longer working with Juan Carlos Ferrero. But a tennis insider has revealed Alcaraz had almost fired Ferrero last year.

The tennis insider, Jose Moron, told Punto de Break that the relationship between Ferrero and Alcaraz’s circle had started to deteriorate in 2023, so much so that Alcaraz’s inner circle wanted to hire Andy Murray following the 2024 season. Moron revealed that in 2023, Ferrero did not accompany Alcaraz to the South American tour, and the youngster, instead, traveled with Martinez Cascales.

What Ferrero said about Alcaraz during interviews also created friction. Ferrero wanted Alcaraz to maintain his level not just at the start of the season but also toward the end of it. Also in the Netflix documentary, Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, the 45-year-old questioned Alcaraz’s professionalism due to the latter’s love for parties.

Tensions peaked towards the end of 2024. What has happened now in 2025 was going to occur last year. During last year’s negotiations, Alcaraz’s circle was not happy with what had transpired. Ferrero understands tennis one way, and Carlos wanted to go in a different direction. Last year, the circle already wanted to do what happened this year: remove Ferrero and bring in another coach. They wanted Andy Murray.

Jose Moron said

Murray called time on his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics after defeat in the quarterfinals in doubles. But about four months afterwards, he did become a coach, not Alcaraz’s but his now former longtime rival, Novak Djokovic‘s. But the partnership did not last for more than six months because Nole reached just one Masters 1000 final, at the Miami Open, losing that match to Jakub Mensik.

Carlos Alcaraz prevented Juan Carlos from leaving in 2024. The relationship between Alcaraz and Ferrero has always been fabulous, incredibly good, with no issues. Although Alcaraz was not 100% comfortable with Ferrero’s demands, he knew having Ferrero was a significant asset. In 2025, Samu [Samuel] Lopez joined as a second coach to help smooth the situation with Juan Carlos, among other things.

Jose Moron added

Under the 2003 French Open champion, Alcaraz won all 24 of his tour-level titles, including the six Majors. Alcaraz also became the No.1 player under the former World No.1’s guidance.

Jose Moron says there is no bad blood between Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero

Juan Carlos Ferrero, in the three interviews that he gave in the aftermath of the split, has made it clear that his relationship with his now ex-protege has not soured at all. Ferrero, in fact, has made it clear that whatever decision Alcaraz’s entourage took, the player was not involved. Jose Moron, during that interview with Punto de Break, said no matter the inner circle’s stand, Alcaraz and Ferrero are still friends.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz (3)
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Tenis en Espana)

The reality is that Alcaraz and Ferrero get along very well. A large part of Alcaraz’s current team comes from Ferrero’s Academy. Samu wouldn’t have accepted Carlos’s coaching position if it had caused any kind of conflict with the academy. Samu is a partner in Juan Carlos Ferrero’s academy, and the relationship is excellent. There’s no bad blood.

The next major event is the Australian Open. Alcaraz’s goal will be to complete the Career Grand Slam. But the Murcia native has never progressed beyond the quarterfinals. In the previous two seasons, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic knocked him out in the last eight in four sets, respectively.

This season, Alcaraz added eight titles to his trophy cabinet. Two of these titles he won at the French Open and the US Open by defeating his arch-rival Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz also won three Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo, Rome, and Cincinnati.

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