Juan Carlos Ferrero has spent most of his coaching career letting Carlos Alcaraz’s results do the talking. Now, with a book to promote and a year of collaboration behind him, the former world No. 1 is finally speaking out and giving his full public take on why the partnership ended.
We present his autobiography A winning mindset (Peninsula Publications)Ferrero took advantage of the interview with a Spanish daily THE WORLD push against the dominant explanation for the 2025 split; that his demanding, almost monastic approach had worn Alcaraz down.
He does not deny philosophy. He denies the dose. “It’s important to say no to a lot of things,” she said, “but with Carlos I wasn’t that strict, not at all.” Discipline, he said, was never a problem.
He was equally adamant in rejecting another popular framework. that coach and student had become something like father and son. “The relationship was not paternalistic, nothing less,” he said. “You have to make a clear separation between family, coach and friends.” He allowed that there was deep affection and trust, and that bond was “one of the foundations” of their years together.
But he resisted the idea that emotions had blurred professional lines, or that any one rift drove the decision. Asked if he would change how it ended, Ferrero pointed to the last months. No drama, he claimed to complete the most successful coaching history in recent Spanish tennis, with six Grand Slam titles in total.
If the analysis was unsentimental, the consequence was not. In the most human part of the interview, Ferrero admitted that he couldn’t watch Alcaraz win this year’s Australian Open. the first major his former player lifted without him in the box.
“No, I didn’t watch the final,” he said. Earlier in the year, he revealed that he couldn’t bring himself to watch Alcaraz matches at all, so the emotional blow of the breakup was so raw. At least it has softened. “Now I watch a lot of his matches and I’m back to the rhythm of watching tennis calmly, I watch and analyze everything,” he said. “The truth is, I’m fine again.”
The deadline is indicated. Ferrero gave the interview on the eve of his return. he has confirmed that he will coach a new player from 2027, a contract has already been signed, although he did not reveal the name, only that the player is already on tour and that he will not travel to all the tournaments.
I don’t see myself doing that. With someone so young, you have to invest a lot of time, do everything from scratch.
He also ruled out picking up another raw teenager like Alcaraz once had. “I don’t see myself doing that. “With someone that young, you have to invest a lot of time, do everything from scratch, and I’m not at that stage in my life,” he said. “With Carlos, it really motivated me. Now, after going through all that, it’s not what I’m looking for.”
Ferrero has not confirmed media speculation linking her to Rafael Jodar.
