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Alex Corretja explains why Carlos Alcaraz will 'miss' coach Juan Carlos Ferrero 'badly' - and who world No. 1 might turn to next
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Updated 17/12/2025 at 20:49 GMT
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Men's tennis world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero announced on Wednesday that they had parted ways, with no details given on the reason for the split. Speaking to TNT Sports, former player Alex Corretja said he was upset by the news, and urged the 22-year-old not to rush into any decision about replacing Ferrero in the near future.
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Alex Corretja is "very sad" that Juan Carlos Ferrero has left Carlos Alcaraz’s coaching set-up, and recommended the player take his time over choosing a replacement.
Alcaraz announced on Wednesday that he had parted ways with his long-term coach, Ferrero, leaving Samuel Lopez - added to his team in 2024 - as the most senior figure in his coaching team.
There were no reasons given for the decision, and speaking to TNT Sports, former player Corretja said he was upset by the news, saying he felt there was much the duo could still achieve in tennis.
"My first impression, I was very sad," Corretja said. "I didn’t expect it at all. Of course, throughout the time, you spend days and weeks and years with the same person and the same voice.
"Maybe there is someone there sometimes that you don’t agree with exactly in the same situations. But I personally felt they had lots of things to do together. I feel like they had been achieving amazing goals, but, of course, they still had so many to achieve.
"I am very sad. I think it’s very sad for them both. It’s sad for tennis in general. The combo of Alcaraz-Ferraro, Ferrero-Alcaraz, it was great, it was nice for everyone.
"They are both polite, they are both nice guys. It was a nice combination. I think it’s not good for either of them."
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Ferrero has been with Alcaraz since his teenage years, and Corretja believes that the break-up could force the 22-year-old Spaniard to mature as he adjusts to life without him.
"I think Carlitos will need to adjust to that," he observed. "He’s been with Juan for the last seven years, since he was getting mature in his tennis career. He’s going to miss him badly, and I think it might make him grow quite a lot in the next weeks and months."
With Lopez now the senior figure in the team, Corretja said he thought that he would take on some additional responsibility. He suggested that after the Australian Open in January 2026, there would be time for Alcaraz to see what he wants from a potential new coach.
He explained: "I think Carlos has got a great team, a strong team, very solid. I think definitely Ferrero was on the top of that, and he was the leader. He was the captain of the team.
"Now they’re going to have Samuel doing a little bit of that job, with other members of the team. I think in the near future, they might add someone else.
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"Possibly they will try to see how it goes with Samuel, only with him, but maybe after Australia we will see. Always the results bring you more expectations, or it depends on what you have. Maybe you stay the same.
"But I won’t be surprised if they include an ex-player,a former player who understands the game and the situations. The fact that he’s been there, and a little bit like what Juan Carlos was doing.
"But I think it will be good for him also to add someone with different ideas, different perspectives to the team. I’m not saying Sam is not capable, but I think it’s also good to bring someone else. Not now, maybe in the next couple of weeks, maybe in the near future."
Asked who could be in the frame for the role, Corretja said that any figures advertising their help now would likely be discounted. Instead, he thought Alcaraz would work out where he wanted to improve, and go from there to deduce which former player would be the right person to provide assistance.
He said: "I see so many people thinking, ‘Please call me and let me know if I can help you.’ Carlos is a very special kid - in a good way - and he’s very smart. He will know right away with the ex-player he likes to have next to him.
"He is not someone that is going to be influenced by someone saying, ‘If you need my help, I can be there for you.’ No, it has to be Carlitos, it has to be him, thinking about inside, thinking about him.
"Figure out what he wants from himself, what he wants to improve, and who can help him do that, who can help him to achieve that with the team he’s got. Then someone who has the clear ideas of what he needs and that's why I think Carlos needs to take his time.
"I wouldn’t recommend to him to make a decision right away, because I think it’s off-season.
"He needs to focus on the upcoming tournaments, like the Australian Open, then he might have more time because meanwhile, his head will be thinking inside all the time."
Alcaraz finished the year as the men's world No.1, winning both the French Open and US Open titles.
You can watch all the action from the 2026 Australian Open live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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