The break up between Carlos Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero has shocked tennis fans, putting an end to a seven-year collaboration of exceptional results. Different theories have been said about their split, with some pointing to Ferrero's stricter views on Alcaraz's holiday trips or the disagreements with their personal projects on their tennis academies.
Spanish newspaper Marca offers further insight into the split, with a more specific reason: Juan Carlos Ferrero was given (by Alcaraz's legal team and entourage) a new contract on Saturday morning, on the condition of either acept it or reject it in 48 hours. And according to Marca sources, the contract had several clauses that Ferrero considered "unacceptable".
Apparently, the agreement included a significant salary reduction, but that was not a major issue for Ferrero. What made Ferrero turned the offer down were "other aspects, not directly related to tennis".
Carlos Alcaraz Sr. was behind the split, sources say
Other outlets have underlined the influence that Carlos Alcaraz Sr. has on the decisions, and they suspect that the split wasn't caused by a disagreement between the player and the coach, but between the coach and Alcaraz's father, who makes those kinds of decisions for him. In an interview with Eurosport, Carlos Santos, Carlitos' first coach, said that the same thing happened to him: "I wanted certain conditions and his father didn't see them that way."
Ferrero, former tennis player winner of Roland Garros in 2003, turned a 15-year-old teenager into the youngest World No. 1 in the world, and winner of six Grand Slams in three years. But their paths have separated, to the dismay of Alcaraz's fans, who fear the consequences this will have on the current World No. 1.
In the 2025 season, where Carlos Alcaraz won eight ATP titles, the Murcian player earned $18.8 million, bringing his career total to $57.5 million. The plus side is that Alcaraz's new coach will be someone familiar with him: Samuel López, who joined as assistnat coach for Ferrero in 2024, and even replaced Ferrero several times, like during the Australian Open 2024, when Ferrero was out due to knee surgery.