On Wednesday, the shocking news of Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero’s split was revealed.
Alcaraz announced the departure of his long-time coach in an emotional Instagram post, in which the Spaniard thanked Ferrero for turning his ‘childhood dreams into realities.’
Ferrero first saw Alcaraz play at his Spanish academy when the current world number one was only 15. In 2019, the pair began working together on a formal basis.
Coach Samuel Lopez, who joined Alcaraz’s team in 2024, is reportedly remaining with the Spaniard’s team.
What do you make of Carlos Alcaraz’s decision to part ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero?
Ferrero’s departure leaves a hole in the Alcaraz set-up, which could potentially be filled by another coach.
Brad Gilbert backs Carlos Moya to become Carlos Alcaraz’s new coach
Brad Gilbert is one of the most well-recognised figures in tennis history, having worked with numerous high-profile players throughout the years.
The American, 64, has weighed in on the departure of Juan Carlos Ferrero from Carlos Alcaraz’s coaching setup, calling the news an ‘absolute stunner.’
In a video posted on X [Twitter], Gilbert said: “What an absolute stunner with the split of Alcaraz and coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. I kind of said last week it was a really quiet off season and I expected something to happen, but certainly not with you know the situation that we just had this morning with the incredible year of Alcaraz: finishing number one in the world and the best year of his career.
“I kind of thought between three and eight we would have a coaching split or somebody add something to the team. But that’s the one thing about tennis, you just never know and if the player wasn’t feeling it, that’s instantly ‘window, make a move’ and the timing obviously, we’re only like less than a month away from the Australian Open. What will Alcaraz do next?”
The American, a pivotal figure in the career of Andre Agassi who also worked with Andy Murray, pinpointed two Spanish tennis legends as potential replacements for Juan Carlos Ferrero.
“I mean, the two thoughts that jump into my head – David Ferrer, the Davis Cup captain of Spain,” Gilbert continued.
“Obviously a former great player, good familiarity with Carlos. Maybe he jumps in on an interim.
“But obviously the name that really jumps out, an interesting one, would be Carlos Moya, who obviously had amazing success with Nadal. But, you know, he’s with the Nadal academy so who knows about that dynamic. But it will be an interesting few weeks [with] what happens. But absolutely a stunner what happened this morning.”
Carlos Alcaraz WILL complete the Career Grand Slam before Jannik Sinner – discuss…
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Who is Carlos Moya?
Carlos Moya is a legendary figure within Spanish tennis history.
Moya, a former world number one, won his only Grand Slam title at the 1998 French Open, defeating Alex Corretja in the final.
The Spaniard also reached the 1997 Australian Open final before losing to Pete Sampras in straight sets.
He acted as Rafael Nadal’s primary coach from 2016 to 2024. During their time together, Nadal won eight Grand Slam titles.
Nadal retired from his playing career in 2024 following Spain’s exit from the Davis Cup Finals.
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