MELBOURNE – Carlos Alcaraz will play his first Grand Slam in Melbourne without the coach who accompanied him throughout his entire professional career. In Australia, the world No. 1 said that his relationship with Juan Carlos Ferrero had reached its natural end.
“It’s a chapter of life that had to end,” Alcaraz said to the media.
“I learned a lot. Probably thanks to him I’m the player that I am right now. I’m really grateful for these seven years,” said the six-time Grand Slam champion about his work with Ferrero, who began coaching him when Alcaraz was 15 and was unexpectedly dismissed last December.
“We closed this chapter mutually. We are still friends, we have a good relationship, but we just decided like this,” he added.
However, Alcaraz’s words in Australia do not fully align with the version given by the 2003 Roland Garros champion, who was clear when the split became public: “I would have liked to continue”.
“I put my soul into this project. I’m hurt,” Ferrero admitted in an interview with Marca days after the separation.
Was the split driven by the player’s own convictions, or was there influence from his father and other members of his inner circle? CLAY asked Alcaraz during the pre-tournament press conference ahead of the first Grand Slam of the season.
“It was something internal (with the team). Something between us. And it was a decision we made. Being such a professional team, there isn’t a single move that we don’t put on the table together. So it was something internal that we ultimately decided this way,” said the 22-year-old Spaniard.
When the season ended and it was time to renew the contract in early December, Ferrero had to wait two weeks to receive the proposal from Alcaraz’s team. Once it arrived, he had just two days to read and sign it. “Juan Carlos didn’t accept it, and they were unwilling to make any changes,” a source close to the former world No. 1 told CLAY.
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Samuel López has taken charge of Alcaraz’s coaching team, with the title in the Australian Open as the main goal of the year — the only Grand Slam title still missing from the Spaniard’s résumé.
“Everything is pretty much the same. I have the same team that I had last year, just one member missing. We didn’t change any routine at all,” Alcaraz said.
“Obviously, the head coach has changed, and everyone has their own thoughts and way of working. I’ve been working with Samu for a full year. Whether he’s second coach or first doesn’t change the way he contributes his opinions and ideas, or his method of work. I know it very well,” he explained.
Alcaraz will make his Australian Open debut this Sunday against Australian Adam Walton.
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