Feliciano Lopez Thinks Juan Carlos Ferrero Left Carlos Alcaraz’s Team due to ‘Economic Issue’

For the second time, Juan Carlos Ferrero won the ATP Coach of the Year following Carlos Alcaraz's impressive 2025 season.

Feliciano Lopez Thinks Juan Carlos Ferrero Left Carlos Alcaraz’s Team due to ‘Economic Issue’

Carlos Alcaraz, Feliciano Lopez, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Image via X/Jonay Amaro, #MMOPEN)

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Reactions, one after the other, have started to pour in after Carlos Alcaraz, on Wednesday (January 17), announced on social media that he has parted ways with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, marking an end to a seven-year partnership. Amidst various speculations regarding the split, Madrid Open tournament director Feliciano Lopez said the reason could be economic issues.

Another surprising thing about the end of collaboration was the timing, given that the first Major of the 2026 season, the Australian Open, is around the corner. Alcaraz has never progressed beyond the quarterfinals of the tournament, losing to Novak Djokovic in the last eight this year.

Alcaraz hired Ferrero in 2018 when he was just 15 years old. Under the 2003 French Open champion, the 22-year-old clinched all his 24 tour-level titles, which include his six Grand Slam titles and eight Masters 1000s. Alcaraz also reached the top of the rankings table under Ferrero’s tutelage.

As per rumors, the reason behind the split was disagreement over the contract extension. Some also claimed that it was not Alcaraz who decided to part ways with Ferrero, and that the decision was rather taken by his inner circle.

I do point more to the economic issue. Juan Carlos Ferrero deserves to be financially compensated as the coach of the best player in the world. In Alcaraz’s case, I think he’s not making those decisions yet. I have doubts as to whether Carlos was the one who really decided he didn’t want to continue with Juan Carlos.

Feliciano Lopez told

Lopez also thinks Alcaraz will find it difficult to figure things out about his career in the short term in the absence of Ferrero. The 45-year-old called time on his career in 2012 after winning 16 singles titles. He also reached the No.1 ranking in 2003.

Greg Rusedski on whether Rafael Nadal will join Carlos Alcaraz’s team as his coach

Among other things, the tennis world is also discussing whether Rafael Nadal would decide to be back on the tour as Carlos Alcaraz‘s coach after his split from Juan Carlos Ferrero. Greg Rusedski doesn’t think this could happen.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Game, Set & Talk)

I just don’t think Rafael Nadal is at a time in his life when he wants to get back on the tour and travel every week. Nadal has two young children, and he seems to be enjoying his retirement, so I just don’t see him giving everything up to go back on the road with Alcaraz.

Greg Rusedski said on his Off Court with Greg podcast

Nadal called time on his career after Spain’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of the eventual runner-up Netherlands in the quarterfinals of last year’s Davis Cup. His uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, also found the Alcaraz-Ferrero breakup surprising, as he doesn’t think it was “logical” to end it right after Alcaraz’s successful season.

Ferrero, for the second time, won the ATP Coach of the Year. Back in 2022, after guiding Alcaraz to his career’s first Grand Slam title at the US Open, Ferrero was given the award. Alcaraz, for the second time in his career, won the ATP Player of the Year. He was given the award for the first time in 2022.

This year, the six-time Grand Slam champion lifted eight titles from 11 finals, which also includes the French Open and the US Open, which he won by defeating World No.1 Jannik Sinner. He also reached the final of the ATP Finals, but failed to go past the four-time Grand Slam champion. Along with Ferrero, coach Samuel Lopez also won the Coach of the Year award this year. Lopez joined Alcaraz’s team last December.

Also read: Ex-ATP Pro Thinks Carlos Alcaraz’s Roland Garros Win over Jannik Sinner Was ‘Almost a Miracle’