Juan Carlos Ferrero Confirms Plans for Coaching Comeback After Carlos Alcaraz Split

Carlos Alcaraz officially parted ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero on December 17, 2025.

Juan Carlos Ferrero Confirms Plans for Coaching Comeback After Carlos Alcaraz Split

Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, TENNISCentel)

In Short
  • Juan Carlos Ferrero is open to a coaching comeback after his split with Carlos Alcaraz.
  • Ferrero ended his partnership with Alcaraz on December 17, following a successful run that included six Grand Slam titles.
  • Alcaraz has continued to excel, winning the Australian Open and maintaining a strong performance in the ATP rankings.

Juan Carlos Ferrero has left the door open to a return to coaching, just months after ending his partnership with World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz. The former French Open champion confirmed that while he’s not actively seeking a new project on tour, a comeback remains possible depending on the timing.

Ferrero officially ended his partnership with Alcaraz on December 17, just over a month after the ATP Finals in Turin. Their Split ends a cycle that includes six Grand Slams with Alcaraz and the Spaniard’s rise to the top of the ATP rankings. Since then, he has stepped away from the tour, focusing on his academy and reducing his involvement in competitions.

For now, his current position as the mental coach for Spanish golfer Angel Ayora gives him time and helps him make a career shift. He’s applying his expertise from tennis to a different competitive environment and sport, while the workload has reduced compared to the week-to-week competition and travels in tennis.

However, in his absence from the men’s circuit, Alcaraz has flourished on the court. The 22-year-old claimed his first Australian Open in January, making him the youngest player to earn a Career Grand Slam. He then claimed his second title of the season at the Qatar Open after beating Arthur Fils.

However, after Alcaraz’s losses at the Sunshine Double, some reports suggested that reuniting with Ferrero would get his game back on track. During an interview with MARCA, Ferrero was asked if he still sees himself rejoining Alcaraz’s team. The former Spanish player revealed that he doesn’t rule out a reunion, even this year:

I don’t rule out returning this year. It’s something I have to let come naturally, that desire… offers have come, but for now I don’t feel that call that makes me take the reins again with excitement and motivation. I’ve had very good offers, but at the level of internal motivation, not motivation for the player, I haven’t found the reason to travel again. Right now I don’t miss tennis. I need this break and I’m calm.

Alcaraz crashed out in the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Open after losing to Daniil Medvedev, and then in the third round of the Miami Open last month. That saw his lead at the top of the ATP rankings reduce to just 1,190 points over World No.2 Jannik Sinner, who remarkably completed the Sunshine Double after a poor start to the season.

Juan Carlos Ferrero admits he congratulated Carlos Alcaraz’s team after the Australian Open triumph

For the first time in Carlos Alcaraz’s career, he was heading into the 2026 Australian Open without Juan Carlos Ferrero. The World No.1 had never seen the legendary coach in a Grand Slam tournament, and there were fears that it might affect his performance at the tournament, considering how close they were before their split.

Juan Carlos Ferrero Carlos Alcaraz
Juan Carlos and Ferrero Carlos Alcaraz (via X/The Tennis Letter)

But Alcaraz delivered one of his masterclass performances, beating Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and final to claim the Melbourne Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Despite not being happy about being absent from Alcaraz’s success at the tournament, the Spanish coach revealed during the aforementioned interview that he congratulated his team:

Yes, yes, obviously. I already congratulated them when they reached the final, and I congratulated them again after they made history, as Carlos and his entire team have done. It’s a very commendable achievement, and they deserved that congratulation. And I’m happy that it worked out for them.

Alcaraz is currently competing at the Monte Carlo Masters. He’s into the round of 16 of the tournament after defeating Sebastian Baez in straight sets. The US Open champion holds a 14-match winning streak on the clay court, and he’s the favorite to win the ATP 1000 title in Monaco.

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