One week after the announcement that Carlos Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero were breaking up, ending a hugely successful seven-year collaboration during which Alcaraz won six Grand Slam titles and finished the year as World No. 1 twice (all of that before turning 23). A lot has been said about the reasons behind the break up, and for the first time, Juan Carlos Ferrero has spoken with Spanish newspaper Marca, to tell his version of the story.
"Everything seemed to be going well at first", Ferrero said. "When a year ends, certain things need to be reviewed regarding contracts. And as with any new contract there were certain things we disagreed on. As with all contracts, one side pulls in one direction and the other in another. Carlos's camp thinks about what's best for him, and mine thinks about what's best for me".
"There were certain issues on which both parties disagreed. Perhaps they could have been resolved if we had sat down to talk, but in the end, we didn't, and we decided not to continue", Ferrero admitted. It was reported that Ferrero was only given 48 hours to either take it or leave it.
However, Ferrero said that it wasn't because of economical disagreements, and completely rejected the rumours that they broke up because of the incompatibility of their potential "rival" tennis academies (Ferrero has one and Alcaraz opened up a new one bearing his name in Murcia). "There are points I won't go into detail about, but we disagreed on them, and ultimately, we went our separate ways".
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Ferrero needs some time to heal, he's still hurting
Ferrero praised Alcaraz in the interview, saying that they never had any fight during the year. "I couldn't say there's been anything negative. My experience as Carlos's coach has been very positive. We've both been lucky because he found someone to guide him in his development, someone with experience in the world of tennis who could teach him so much. And I've been fortunate to find someone who could learn at such a rapid pace, at lightning speed, everything we tried to teach him. When I arrived, he was a player with impressive technical, physical, and mental abilities, and together, as a team, we've been able to help him improve."
However, he admitted that he is "hurt" at the moment, and they both need some time to assimilate the break up. "Most of all, I suppose it will also hurt when I see him play in tournaments. A lot of shared experiences come into play there. I think it's going to take some time." However, it will be hard for him not to watch the matches, he says, and he still thinks he can go on to become the best of all time.
Lastly, he added that he is not thinking about taking other jobs for the moment. "I am not considering any other options at this time because I need two or three months of peace and quiet and for the pain to subside".