Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach of seven years, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has recently said he is trying to avoid watching the former’s impressive run at the Australian Open, as their separation is still fresh in his heart. The World No. 1, who clinched 24 singles titles, including six majors under Carlos Ferrero, announced his split during the 2025 offseason, shocking the entire tennis community.
Juan Carlos Ferrero Reflects on Why He is Keeping Away From Watching Carlos Alcaraz
The 22-year-old from El Palmar, Murcia, is spearheading his Australian Open campaign with dominance and elite form. He has reached his maiden semifinal at Melbourne Park, where he is set to face World No. 3, Alexander Zverev, after surpassing talents including Adam Walton, Yannick Hanfmann, Corentin Moutet, Tommy Paul, and Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.
Along with this, he has also etched history by posting an 87-13 record at the majors after 100 matches, tying Swiss icon Bjorn Borg’s record. However, his ex-coach, Carlos Ferrero, the former World No. 1, has recently revealed that he is avoiding watching him compete because he needs time to heal from the separation he went through in the offseason.
During his interview with COPE’s Juanma Castaño, Carlos Ferrero, who had also earlier coached Zverev for a season, revealed that seeing familiar faces he has worked with for so long is an emotional experience, and he is trying to evade watching Alcaraz play.
He added, “No, I’m trying to disconnect a little. I think it’s still very fresh in my mind, isn’t it? To sit down and watch a little bit of the game, and not just the game, right? It’s also seeing a little bit of the whole team you had until recently, and well, in the end, you get a little melancholic and a little sad, right? Seeing them all there and well, you feel a little bit of everything that’s happened, it stirs up a bit, and it’s not easy to watch the games right now.”
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz Gives Heartwarming Shoutout to His Father After Reaching Maiden Australian Open SF
Earlier in his interview with Marca, Carlos Ferrero had revealed the circumstances that led to their separation, citing contractual reasons. He mentioned, “When a year ends, certain things need to be reviewed regarding contracts. Carlos’s camp thinks about what’s best for him, and mine thinks about what’s best for me. There were certain issues on which both parties disagreed. Perhaps they could have been resolved if we had sat down to talk, but in the end, we didn’t, and we decided not to continue.”
Alcaraz is now moving forward with his coach, Samuel López, and has earlier shared that his older brother, Álvaro, who often travels with him to his tournaments, will take on a prominent role in his coaching team.
