In a development that has sent shockwaves through the sporting world, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and his longtime mentor Juan Carlos Ferrero have officially ended their professional partnership. The announcement, made on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, marks the conclusion of one of the most successful and emotionally resonant player-coach relationships in the history of modern tennis. The split comes at a baffling time, just weeks before the start of the 2026 Australian Open, where Alcaraz was expected to chase a Career Grand Slam.
A Partnership Built on Dreams
The bond between the two Spaniards began in 2018 when Alcaraz was a mere 15-year-old “rough diamond.” Ferrero, a former world No. 1 and French Open champion himself, saw the potential in the teenager and brought him to his academy in Villena. Over the next seven years, they transformed that potential into a historic reality. Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz secured six Grand Slam titles—two each at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open—and became the youngest world No. 1 in ATP history.
In an emotional statement shared on social media, the 22-year-old Alcaraz expressed profound gratitude. “Thank you for turning childhood dreams into realities,” he wrote. “We reached the top, and I feel that if our paths had to part, it should be from up there.”
The Sudden Disconnect
While Alcaraz’s message was one of closure and peace, Ferrero’s response hinted at a more abrupt and perhaps non-mutual conclusion. In his own social media post, the 45-year-old coach admitted, “I wish I could have continued.” Reports from Spanish outlets, including Punto de Break, suggest the fracture occurred just days ago during negotiations for Ferrero’s 2026 contract. Despite coming off a dominant 2025 season featuring eight titles and a 71–9 record, a significant disagreement during these meetings reportedly led to the immediate dissolution of the team.
The timing is particularly jarring given that Ferrero was just named the 2025 ATP Coach of the Year on December 11. The duo appeared to be in lockstep as they prepared for a season where Alcaraz aimed to finally conquer Melbourne Park, the only major venue where he has yet to reach a semifinal.
The Road to Melbourne 2026
With the Australian Open set to begin on January 18, 2026, Alcaraz has little time to recalibrate. For the “Happy Slam,” the world No. 1 will be coached by Samuel López, who has been a part of the technical team since 2024. López, an experienced hand who shared the Coach of the Year honors with Ferrero, provides a necessary sense of continuity during this period of radical change.
However, the “ferrero-less” era raises immediate questions about Alcaraz’s on-court composure. Ferrero was famously known as Alcaraz’s “second father,” often seen on the sidelines calming the young star’s fiery intensity. Whether Alcaraz can maintain his world No. 1 standing against a surging Jannik Sinner without his longtime North Star will be the defining storyline of the 2026 season. As the tennis world digests this “earthquake” in the rankings, all eyes turn to Melbourne to see if the young king can reign alone.