Spanish tennis great Garbine Muguruza has revealed she was left “very surprised” by Carlos Alcaraz’s “strange” split from long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Reigning world No 1 Alcaraz announced last week that he and Ferrero were parting ways with immediate effect, following a seven-year partnership defined by huge success.
Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz won six Grand Slam singles titles and achieved two year-end world No 1 finishes, becoming the youngest man to ever top the ATP Rankings back in September 2022.
The news of the world No 1’s split with Ferrero, himself a former world No 1 and Grand Slam champion, came as a huge surprise, with few expecting any split after a career-best season for the 22-year-old.
Alcaraz’s 2025 campaign saw him win eight titles — the most he has ever won in a season — and claim his second French Open and US Open titles, returning to world No 1 for the first time in two years.
Multiple rumours and potential reasons for the split have emerged since the news broke last Wednesday, but there has been no official explanation given yet.
Speaking on radio show El Larguero this week, former world No 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza admitted she had also been left stunned by the news.
She said (translated from Spanish): “I was very surprised, I think everyone was.
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“Carlos is number one in the world: what better season could he have, being number one in the world?
“He’s won Grand Slams, ten or eight tournaments… it’s strange to make a change at such a good time: when things are working, you tend not to change. Yes, very surprised, eager to know more.”
One of the leading WTA Tour players of her generation, Muguruza had three main coaches during her own playing career: Alejo Mancisidor from 2010 to 2015, Sam Sumyk from 2015 to 2019, and Conchita Martinez from 2019 until her official retirement in 2024.
A former French Open and Wimbledon winner and a WTA Finals champion, the 32-year-old further detailed why it was so odd for Alcaraz to split with his coach at what appears to be the peak of his powers.
“I had three coaches. You consider changing teams when you feel you need a new voice, or when you realize things aren’t going well,” added Muguruza.
“You think about it when you see you’ve had a weak year, you haven’t achieved good results, you’re losing a lot, that coach isn’t conveying what they used to… you feel you need to close that cycle and look for someone with new ideas, but it always comes from a not-so-good time — not when you win a Grand Slam or are number one in the world.”
All eyes will be on how Alcaraz fares — and what he says about his split from Ferrero — when he returns to action in 2026.
The world No 1 will not play an official tournament until the opening Grand Slam event of the year at the Australian Open, where he will be the top seed.
Action in Melbourne begins on January 18, with Alcaraz looking to complete the Career Grand Slam with a triumph at the tournament.
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