Coach turned down Thiem, Del Potro and Halep to mentor a little-known 16-year-old
Carlos Alcaraz’s rise from teenage prodigy to global superstar has been one of the defining stories in modern tennis — and at the heart of it is Juan Carlos Ferrero. Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz has become not only a Grand Slam champion but arguably the best player on the planet. Yet few knew just how bold Ferrero’s original decision had been: he chose to coach an unknown 16-year-old instead of three already-established major winners.
Ferrero’s long-time colleague Antonio Martínez Cascales has now revealed the list of stars Ferrero turned down — a revelation that casts his early faith in Alcaraz in an even brighter light.
Ferrero rejected Thiem, Del Potro and Halep to train Alcaraz
Speaking on the Llamada a Pista podcast, Cascales explained that Ferrero had offers from top-10 players, including Dominic Thiem, Juan Martín del Potro and Simona Halep. Despite the prestige of coaching proven champions, Ferrero opted against joining any established camp. According to Cascales, Ferrero “didn’t want to be a cone on the court” — a coach who simply stands beside a fully formed player — and believed Alcaraz had a unique essence worth nurturing.
Cascales added that Ferrero recognised Alcaraz’s special qualities early. When Alcaraz was just 16, Ferrero asked if he could become world No. 1; Cascales replied he would — unless injury or circumstance derailed him. Today, that prediction looks prophetic.
Alcaraz has already surpassed the stars Ferrero declined
The scale of Alcaraz’s achievements at just 22 vindicates Ferrero’s decision more emphatically than anyone could have imagined. Alcaraz has now won more Grand Slam titles than Thiem, del Potro and Halep combined. He also owns more tour-level titles than del Potro and Thiem individually and sits level with Halep on 24.
His ascent has already placed him alongside — or beyond — legendary figures such as Andy Murray and Arthur Ashe, and he is one major title away from eclipsing Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg. And Ferrero has shown no signs of walking away, despite stating in the past what might prompt him to stop coaching his star student.
Looking back, choosing a raw 16-year-old over multiple Grand Slam champions seemed like a gamble. Today, it looks like one of the smartest decisions in tennis history — and Alcaraz’s journey is only just beginning.
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