Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 season was already shaping up as one for the history books. The trophies kept coming, rivalries only got sharper, and everything pointed toward another dominant chapter in his rise. Then, almost out of nowhere, the tennis world was stunned by the split between Alcaraz and longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, ending a hugely successful seven-year partnership and raising fresh questions about what comes next.

That surprise breakup has now sparked concern from one of the sport’s most decorated voices. On the Australian Open podcast, when asked, ‘who will win the singles titles of the Australian Open 2026?’ the 16-time Grand Slam men’s doubles champion Todd Woodbridge gave his own take. “I believe Jannik has an advantage and will achieve the triple in Melbourne,” he said,

He admitted that while Alcaraz is clearly talented enough to win more majors, the timing of the change is concerning. “But that change, at this point of his career, I find it mind-boggling. We’re talking about one of the greatest duos of coaching partnerships that our game has seen.”

There’s no questioning Carlos Alcaraz’s track record. Since winning his first Grand Slam at the 2022 US Open, he has lifted at least one major trophy every season. In 2025, the world No. 1 went even further, capturing Roland Garros and the US Open to bring his total to six Grand Slam titles, firmly establishing himself as one of the sport’s elite. Still, Woodbridge stressed how special the Alcaraz-Ferrero partnership was.

He described them as “one of the best coach-student pairs they have ever seen” and noted that Alcaraz was still improving under Ferrero’s guidance. In his view, the split wasn’t driven by conflict but by off-court factors like “a little money, or programming,” suggesting the relationship could have continued.

In an interview with Marca, Ferrero explained that the separation came down to a stalled contract renewal. He said there were “certain points on which we didn’t agree” when discussions turned toward the following season, offering the first detailed insight from inside the breakup.

That’s why Woodbridge believes the impact of the split will be felt on court. “When Juan Carlos hasn’t been around the last few years, Alcaraz does not play as good, and you can see him looking out into the stands — he’s actually a little unsure of himself, and it’s gonna take months to settle down. And then, will he settle? In the meantime, he may give others the opportunity to get some victories,” said Woodbridge.

That uncertainty is why Woodbridge gives Jannik Sinner an edge early in 2026. He expects a “fascinating start to the season” and believes Sinner could take advantage while Alcaraz adjusts. Moreover, the Italian finished 2025 in electric form, especially on hard courts, where he looked nearly untouchable. So it’s easy to see why the 54-year-old felt that way.

Even so, Carlos Alcaraz’s long-term outlook remains strong. A transition period feels inevitable, but he should still be a threat deep into Grand Slams. If there’s one player who could truly stand in his way in 2026, it’s Sinner.

And with new reports hinting that Andy Murray had already caught Alcaraz’s coaching interest before Novak Djokovic entered the picture, the next chapter of his career promises plenty of intrigue.

Carlos Alcaraz makes the coaching change he delayed for a year

Spanish journalist José Morón of Punto de Break recently shed new light on Carlos Alcaraz’s split with Juan Carlos Ferrero, explaining that the situation had been building for quite some time. According to Morón, the issues were not sudden and could be traced back to the previous season, long before the eventual separation in 2025.

Morón said “Tensions peaked towards the end of 2024,” and suggested that what happened in 2025 was already on the table a year earlier. He explained that during contract talks, Alcaraz’s inner circle became unhappy, as Ferrero “understands tennis one way,” while Carlos wanted to move in a different direction.

He went on to reveal just how serious those conversations became behind the scenes. Morón claimed that even in 2024, Carlos Alcaraz’s camp was already considering replacing Ferrero and had identified Andy Murray as a potential new coach. “They wanted Andy Murray,” he said, showing that a coaching change had been actively discussed well before it happened.

Top Stories

26-Year-Old Tennis Journalist Meets Tragic Demise After Battling Brutal Chronic Disease

Coco Gauff Surprises Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Brother After He Calls Her Out at United Cup

ESPN Ditches Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner’s Coaches for Chris Evert After 2 Decades

17-Year-Old Aussie Shocks 4x WTA Title Winner at Brisbane International

Stefanos Tsitsipas Stuns Injured Taylor Fritz to End Almost Two Year Drought

Ultimately, Murray went another route, briefly teaming up with Novak Djokovic. That partnership lasted less than six months and produced only one Masters 1000 final, which Djokovic lost to Jakub Mensik at the Miami Open.

Now, all eyes shift to the Australian Open, where Alcaraz finds himself at a crossroads. He’s chasing a Career Grand Slam, yet Melbourne has remained his final hurdle, a wall he hasn’t been able to climb past the quarterfinals. To add to it, with Jannik Sinner breathing down his neck and the margins tighter than ever, the road ahead looks steeper than before. The talent is unquestioned, but timing, confidence, and momentum will all have to line up.