World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has announced that he has split with his longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after a hugely successful seven-year partnership that helped shape his rise to the top of men’s tennis. The Spaniard made the announcement on social media on Wednesday, thanking Ferrero for guiding him from his teenage years to world number one and acknowledging the profound impact the former French Open champion had on his career.
Alcaraz and Ferrero first joined forces when the young talent was just a teenager, with Ferrero coaching him from the age of 15. Over the course of their collaboration, Alcaraz won 24 tour-level titles, including six Grand Slam championships — two French Opens, two Wimbledons and two US Opens — and became the youngest man in history to finish a season at No. 1 in the ATP rankings. Their work together culminated in a remarkable 2025 season in which Alcaraz claimed eight titles, including two majors, and secured the year-end number one ranking for a second time.
In his statement, Alcaraz expressed heartfelt gratitude to Ferrero, saying the coach had helped him “turn childhood dreams into reality” and that he had “enjoyed every step” of their journey together. The 22-year-old said the decision to part ways came after more than seven years of working together and described it as a moment of transition toward “new adventures and new projects” as he looks ahead to the 2026 season and his bid to complete a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Ferrero, a former world number one himself who claimed the 2003 French Open title, also shared a message on social media reflecting on the end of their partnership. He expressed pride in what they had achieved together and said that saying goodbye was “very difficult,” though he seemed hopeful that the memories and connections they shared would remain meaningful. He added that he wished he could have continued coaching Alcaraz but was grateful for the journey they had taken together.
The split comes at a pivotal moment in Alcaraz’s career, with the young star poised to challenge for more major honours and further cement his place among the sport’s elite. While Alcaraz has not yet named a specific replacement, he has been working with assistant coach Samuel López, who helped him during the 2025 season and is expected to play a central role in his coaching setup going forward.
Alcaraz’s decision to move on from Ferrero marks the end of one of the most successful coach-player relationships in modern tennis, one that played a central role in his rise to the summit of the men’s game. As he prepares for another season of competition, the focus now turns to how he adapts to this new chapter and continues to pursue the sport’s biggest titles.
