Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz was recently asked if the absence of former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero provided extra motivation to win the Australian Open. The Spaniard went on to create history on Sunday, winning the 2026 Australian Open to claim his seventh Grand Slam title.
Carlos Alcaraz Silences Doubts With Historic Australian Open Triumph
Alcaraz’s Australian Open triumph further cemented his standing on the ATP Tour. The season-opening Major had long posed a challenge for the Spaniard, who had never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in Melbourne.
A major turning point came last December when Alcaraz announced his split from longtime Ferrero, a former French Open champion. Ferrero’s role in guiding him to 24 tour titles, including six Grand Slams, made the decision all the more shocking for the fans and pundits alike.
Navigating the period that followed was far from straightforward, as Alcaraz faced intense scrutiny after the coaching change, but he stayed firmly aligned with his team under new head coach Samuel López. In fact, during his Australian Open victory speech at Rod Laver Arena, the Spaniard acknowledged that trust in his team and his focus on tuning out outside noise were central to his Australian Open success.
When asked whether he was motivated to prove he could win a Slam without Ferrero, Alcaraz gave a similar response, emphasizing that blocking out external scrutiny and focusing on his own game were what mattered most.
“Not really, to be honest… I didn’t think about those people that had doubts about it. I came here playing for myself and playing for my team. We all know how hard I worked in the preseason, should be ready for this tournament. And I had too many things to think about, during this tournament,” he said during his post-match press conference.
Carlos Alcaraz was asked if he was extra motivated to prove that he could win a Slam without Juan Carlos Ferrero:
“Not really, to be honest… I didn’t think about those people that had doubts about it. I came here playing for myself and playing for my team.”
“I’m just happy to… pic.twitter.com/X9EpMwry9A
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 1, 2026
Alcaraz added that he was happy to prove those who doubted his trajectory without Ferrero wrong.
“Just focus on my game style, focus on myself, being passionate. That’s all I thought about during this tournament. But once I get it, I’m just happy to prove all the people were wrong,” he added.
While Alcaraz arrived in Melbourne intent on completing his career Grand Slam, his opponent, Novak Djokovic, was chasing a record 25th Major title and asserted early control by taking the opening set 6–2. Alcaraz, however, stayed composed under pressure and mounted a decisive turnaround, winning the next three sets 6–2, 6–3, 7–5 to seal his seventh Grand Slam crown.
