Ex-Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero Convinced He’ll ‘Remain Friends’ with Carlos Alcaraz After Abrupt Split: “We Haven’t Spoken Yet”

Carlos Alcaraz's next main goal is to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, where he has never reached the last four.

Ex-Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero Convinced He’ll ‘Remain Friends’ with Carlos Alcaraz After Abrupt Split: “We Haven’t Spoken Yet”

Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Image via Carlos Alcaraz 4K, ak)

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Juan Carlos Ferrero has once again made it clear that there is no bad blood between him and his ex-protege Carlos Alcaraz. All the decisions that led to the end of the seven-year coaching partnership were taken by Alcaraz’s inner circle.

On Wednesday (December 17), Alcaraz announced on social media that he will no longer be receiving coaching from the 2003 French Open champion. Amid debates and discussions about the possible reasons behind the split, Ferrero sat for an interview with Marca to reveal the real reason as well as dismiss rumors.

Ferrero has now given a third interview in the aftermath of the split. During that interview with Sports Radio Gazette, the former World No.1 said that although he had not spoken with Alcaraz yet, he will remain friends with the former World No.1.

I’ve learned so much from Carlos. He’s a kid who exudes incredible charisma. He is always very loyal, very honest, he always tells the truth, he is very hardworking. And I’m leaving happy because when all this settles down, I’m sure we’ll keep talking, reminiscing about many of the things we experienced together, and we’ll remain friends.

Alcaraz started to work with Ferrero when he was just 15 (at Ferrero’s tennis academy). A year later, Ferrero joined the Spanish ace’s team as his coach, and in the next few years, Alcaraz became a World No.1 player, won 24 tour-level titles, six of which were two US Opens, two French Opens, and two Wimbledon trophies.

We haven’t spoken yet because he needs to be calm now so he can train. And when things settle down, we’ll talk, and everything will be fine.

Juan Carlos Ferrero added

Ferrero has also made it clear that he won’t be coaching another player in the near future. Prior to joining Alcaraz’s team, Ferrero worked with World No.3 Alexander Zverev, but the partnership did not last for more than seven months.

Juan Carlos Ferrero says Carlos Alcaraz has the potential to be the best player

The six Grand Slam titles that Carlos Alcaraz has lifted have made him the second-youngest man in the Open Era to reach that tally, after Bjorn Borg. Alcaraz has time and again said he wants to sit on the same table as the Big 3 of tennis- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. And his now ex-coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, believes the 22-year-old has all the abilities to become the best player in tennis history.

Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Carlos Ferrero (2)
Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Image via X/Daily Alcaraz)

Of course, I’m not closing the door. With the relationship we’ve had, closing the door definitively wouldn’t be logical, neither for him nor for the team. I want to end things well with them. Disagreeing on certain points doesn’t mean we’re not still friends or that we don’t maintain a very good relationship. I wish Carlos all the best, and I believe he has the potential to be the best tennis player in history. It’s something I’ve said many times. And even if I’m not there, he has people around him who can prepare him very well.

Juan Carlos Ferrero told Marca

Alcaraz’s next big goal is to win the Australian Open to complete the Career Grand Slam. Although he won the remaining three Majors two times, in the Melbourne Slam, Alcaraz has yet to advance beyond the quarterfinals.

In 2024, Alexander Zverev knocked him out in the last eight in four sets, while this year, Djokovic secured a four-set win in the quarterfinals. This year, Alcaraz won eight titles from 11 finals- the most on the men’s tour and also his career’s best season. Two of these titles were the French Open and the US Open, which he clinched by defeating Jannik Sinner.

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