Former ATP Player Believes Carlos Alcaraz is Taking a Huge Risk by Parting Ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero ended their seven-year partnership on Wednesday (December 17).

Former ATP Player Believes Carlos Alcaraz is Taking a Huge Risk by Parting Ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero

Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/AllAboutHQ)

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Former ATP player Greg Rusedski believes Carlos Alcaraz will likely be faced with an issue after parting ways with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero on Wednesday (December 17). The World No. 1’s shocking split with Ferrero comes after seven years of working together on tour and a very successful partnership on and off the court.

This year, Alcaraz and Carlos Ferrero’s partnership was filled with success this year as the Spaniard claimed eight tour-level titles, including two Grand Slams and three ATP Masters 1000 crowns. Alcaraz also won the highest number of matches on tour and finished the year as World No.1 for the second time in his career.

One of Alcaraz’s most dramatic victories this year came at Roland Garros, where he defeated his arch-rival Jannik Sinner. The 22-year-old was down two sets against Sinner in the final before pulling off an incredible comeback and eventually beating the Italian star in five sets, in a match that lasted for five hours and 29 minutes.

Nonetheless, there were expectations that Ferrero would continue as the head coach in Alcaraz’s team next year after the 2025 season, and with next season coming very close. But surprisingly, Ferrero revealed in a statement that he actually wanted to continue with Alcaraz but decided to part ways with the World No.1.

The split has been the major discussion on tour since Wednesday. In an interview with Tennis365, Greg Rusedski was asked about Alcaraz’s split with Ferrero. The former ATP player pointed out that Alcaraz’s rival Sinner will be heading into the 2026 season with a better level than the Spanish No.1, as he doesn’t have any trouble with team and didn’t play in exhibition tournaments:

He pulled out of the Davis Cup Finals and he is not playing any exhibitions. He is preparing for the new season. When Federer, Nadal and Djokovic were at the top, you didn’t see them playing too many exhibitions. The off-season is a crucial time of the year to prepare for the new season, but Carlos is at an age where he thinks he can keep going and nothing will happen to him. That might not be the case.

Alcaraz has a mountain to climb in January at the 2026 Australian Open. He’s aiming to complete a Career Grand Slam by winning the first major tournament of the year in Melbourne. However, he has never reached the semi-finals of the tournament, coupled with the fact that he just parted ways with his long-term coach.

Greg Rusedski not surprised about Carlos Alcaraz’s split with Juan Carlos Ferrero

Many former players and coaches, including Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni Nadal, have pointed out what might have led to Juan Carlos Ferrero parting ways with Carlos Alcaraz. However, there’s no official confirmation as to what must have led to it. After seven years together, their split was a sudden and shocking one.

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

During the aforementioned interview, Greg Rusedski revealed he was not surprised by their split. He added that the reason behind the duo parting ways after a long time together might have been because of the Spaniard’s schedule last season, particularly during the Asian swing campaign:

I’m not surprised. I would not be surprised if there were some disagreements over scheduling over the last few weeks because Carlos got injured in the ATP Tour event in Tokyo, he then got injured again at the ATP Finals, but he has still been playing on the exhibition circuit.

Alcaraz will now work with Samuel Lopez, his other coach, next season. However, there’s a growing debate on who will likely be Ferrero’s replacement on tour. Some pundits have pointed out that the likes of Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya, and David Ferrer could be Alcaraz’s coach next season on tour.

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