Carlos Alcaraz stunned the tennis landscape on Wednesday by announcing the abrupt end of his seven-year alliance with Juan Carlos Ferrero, a partnership that yielded 24 titles. With Samuel Lopez already installed as a second coach, many expected the Spaniard to fortify his corner further. Yet reports now suggest the opposite, indicating the top-ranked ATP star has shifted attention to a different strategic priority on his desk.

Angel Garcia Muniz of El Partidazo de COPE reported that Samuel Lopez will become Carlos Alcaraz’s head coach for the 2026 season. The six-time Grand Slam champion has decided against bringing in a new mentor after separating from Juan Carlos Ferrero. 

“More than 5 coaches have offered to train @carlosalcaraz , but the final decision is that Samuel Lopez be his main coach for this season. I’m really glad, because he’s a great guy and a great coach. The rest of the team, except for Ferrero, is also staying on,” Muniz clarified on X. His message ended with questions about whether Alcaraz planned to expand his bench.

Lopez already has deep ties to the Ferrero Tennis Academy. This is the base where Alcaraz built his game and where he continues his pre-season training. He also worked directly with Ferrero during the early stages of Ferrero’s coaching life. 

He coached Ferrero when the former No. 1 was still active on tour. He later worked with Pablo Carreno Busta and Nicolas Almagro, both of whom became top-level professionals. Lopez formally joined Alcaraz’s team late last season, but his operational involvement began earlier. He travelled whenever Ferrero did not, and he provided tactical input at several events.

His presence aligned with strong competitive output. Lopez was on-site for title runs in Rotterdam, Monte Carlo, Queen’s, Cincinnati, and Tokyo this year. He also sat beside Ferrero in the box during other weeks. 

Ferrero and Lopez also shared the ATP Coach of the Year Award this year, which is determined by peers. The award confirmed that their combined technical direction, training load decisions, and tournament planning delivered measurable results in a congested schedule.

Lopez described their internal dynamic to the ATP.

“I’ve known Juan Carlos since he was ten years old and Carlos since he took his first steps at the [Ferrero Tennis] Academy. I was with Pablo during that period, but we’d shared a lot of moments together. The working atmosphere is very relaxed because we’ve always known each other and we understood what Carlos needed. Maybe I freshened things up, because Juan Carlos has been with him for seven years, and I’m new. I know the team, and we’ve all contributed equally, but in different ways. Above all, we’ve really insisted that the work has to be fun.”

Ferrero also won the award in 2022 and remains the only multiple recipient since its launch in 2016.

However, the split surprised many because Alcaraz is expected to relocate more of his training to his family academy in Murcia instead of Ferrero’s facility in Villena. That operational realignment may have accelerated the separation. 

Kiko Navarro weighs in on the Carlos Alcaraz–Ferrero split

Their separation stunned many observers, particularly because Ferrero suggested the outcome was not driven by him. In an emotional statement, the former player and departing coach wrote, “I wish I could have continued.”

Javier de Diego explained the situation on RNE Deportes. He said disagreements appeared while Ferrero and the team were negotiating a new contract. According to him: “The decision is sudden. It was made two days ago in the middle of negotiations for Ferrero’s contract for next season.” He also said a coaching agreement can involve many issues. Some relate to money, while others involve operational control.

Kiko Navarro also spoke on the same program. He was Carlos Alcaraz’s first coach and knows the family well. He said he did not expect the separation. Navarro stated, “Everything has a beginning and an end. I was surprised. I’m a friend of the family, and it surprised me.”

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When asked why the agreement failed, Navarro suggested the decision did not come from the player. He answered: “Perhaps more on the part of those around Carlos. Carlitos is very protective of his coaches. He protected me. I know he protected Ferrero. But there comes a time when, for reasons beyond his control and unrelated to sports, this decision has to be made.”

Some observers believe Alcaraz’s father may have played a role. Navarro acknowledged the rumours but did not elaborate. He said: “I might know something from his father, from months ago. It’s not the time to say it. I’ll find out for sure. They’ve handled it all very discreetly.”

Neither Alcaraz nor Ferrero has confirmed any official reason for their separation. They have avoided public explanation.

Carlos Alcaraz is not scheduled to return to competition until the Australian Open begins on January 18. He will be expected to answer questions during his media duties. For now, he is still working with Samuel Lopez. The second coach will travel with him to Australia and supervise preparations.