Carlos Alcaraz has picked up his first Grand Slam title since parting ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero in December 2025.
The move raised a few eyebrows, given that Ferrero had been a constant presence since 2018, guiding Alcaraz through every major milestone in his rise.
Alcaraz and Ferrero’s partnership began in 2018. Over the years, they formed one of the most stable and successful player-coach relationships on tour, winning multiple majors together.
Alcaraz and Ferrero started working together when Alcaraz was still just a teenager. The coach saw potential early on, helping shape him into one of the game’s top players. Their time together brought three Grand Slam titles – Wimbledon in 2023, along with Roland Garros and the US Open in 2025.
Alcaraz admits the reaction to his split with Ferrero left him questioning the move
Speaking to El Mundo, Alcaraz reflected: “As time goes on, I’ve become more aware of the power of words. Both a good word and a bad word can change a person’s mood. That’s why I always try to be very careful with what I say and how I say it.
“Some of the negative things I read or heard affected me; I even had a few doubts. But I also want to say that the positive things filled me with pride and made me happy.
“Thank God there were more good things than bad.”
It’s not hard to understand why Alcaraz may have been unsure about leaving Ferrero. The two had enjoyed plenty of success together, and making such a high-profile change naturally added pressure for Alcaraz to deliver in 2026.
If there were any doubts about his decision, he has certainly put them to rest since then. He has become the youngest man ever to complete the Career Grand Slam in singles and matched Bjorn Borg’s record for five major titles before turning 23.
And while Ferrero remains one of the best coaches in the game, Alcaraz proved at this year’s Australian Open that his talent was never going to go unnoticed on Tour.
Federer’s former coach shares thoughts on the Alcaraz-Ferrero split
Ivan Ljubicic, who worked alongside Roger Federer from 2015 to 2022, has shared his thoughts on Juan Carlos Ferrero’s impact on Carlos Alcaraz after the young Spaniard’s win at the Australian Open.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italy, Ljubicic said: “Great coaches try to pass on what they know, their experiences, leaving it up to the player. If a coach makes the player dependent on him, he hasn’t done a good job.
“Ferrero’s work has been there. It is there and always will be. The fact that he wasn’t there with him doesn’t change the fact that this boy was built and shaped more by Juan Carlos. Life goes on.
“Juan Carlos, among other things, has also taken up another sport, he works in golf and so they both move forward.”
“I think it was very important for Carlos to win right away,” Ljubicic continued. “Even if there was a small doubt in his mind whether it was a right or wrong decision; now there’s definitely no longer any doubt.”
Following his title win in Melbourne, Alcaraz was expected to take part in the Rotterdam Open. However, he has since withdrawn from the event and his next tournament is set to be the Qatar Open.
Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals at last year’s event – an edition which was won by Russian star Andrey Rublev.
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