Carlos Alcaraz shares thoughts on newly-appointed coach Samuel Lopez
Carlos Alcaraz has been heavily associated with former World No.1 and Spanish tennis sensation Juan Carlos Ferrero in his career.
Follow Us
Carlos Alcaraz and Samuel Lopez (inset) (via X and ATP Tour)
World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed the addition of Samuel Lopez to his coaching staff for the 2025 season. Lopez previously worked with Olympic bronze medalist Pablo Carreno Busta for nine years.
López has collaborated with Alcaraz in a technical capacity before, most recently during this year’s Australian Open. However, at that time, he was fully committed to working with Carreno Busta. Now that Lopez is a free agent, Alcaraz has decided to bring him on as a full-time coach alongside Juan Carlos Ferrero.
He’s one of the best coaches. With Juan Carlos Ferrero, they trust each other 100% and being able to travel with both of them is going to be great for me. I think I’m going to grow as a player thanks to them. My coaches listen to me a lot more than before, obviously, than when I was 16 and had nothing to say, just my mouth shut and my ears open.
Carlos Alcaraz said in an interview with EFE
Alcaraz has been working with Ferrero since 2019. However, the 2003 Roland Garros champion has said that he is involved in multiple projects, including the Ferrero Academy. This has made it difficult for him to remain fully committed to coaching Alcaraz exclusively.
Alcaraz experienced a dip in form after winning both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the 2024 season. Following his loss to Novak Djokovic in the Olympic gold medal match, the Spaniard struggled during the indoor season, including an early exit in the group stages of the ATP Finals.
Carlos Alcaraz headlines exhibition at Madison Square Garden
Carlos Alcaraz is returning to the court after a short break. The four-time Grand Slam champion didn’t touch his racket for about a week and a half after representing Spain in the Davis Cup. That event was also Rafael Nadal’s final appearance before retiring. On Wednesday night, Alcaraz will face American player Ben Shelton in an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden.
Jessica Pegula is also playing in the event and will compete against Emma Navarro. Navarro recently made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Open, showcasing her rising talent. Pegula, on the other hand, had a memorable U.S. Open run this year, reaching her first final in September. She lost to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka but created lasting memories.
Pegula has always loved playing in New York, but until this year, the U.S. Open felt like the other Grand Slam tournaments, where she struggled to get past the quarterfinals. Her performance in 2023 marked a turning point in her career. She was reminded of that success as she returned to New York this week.
After competing in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia in early November, Pegula rested to heal a knee injury. She took three weeks off before starting to practice again two weeks ago. Now, she is ready to take the court at Madison Square Garden.
Stay Updated!
/techfirstnow/media/agency_attachments/kATjCXskQdJKkXN0OuqW.png)