Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero forged a partnership in 2019 that ultimately spanned six Grand Slam titles and reshaped a career. On Dec. 17, 2025, Alcaraz used social media to announce the formal end of that seven-year collaboration, stunning a tennis landscape that had grown accustomed to their dominance. And now, former French professional Guy Forget has weighed in, sharing his reactions to two Spaniards closing an era together.

Reports suggested that disagreements over contract terms and financial value played a role in the split between Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero. Forget said he found it unusual that a player who generates major revenue would struggle to retain a coach of Ferrero’s caliber.

Forget explained his point further in an interview with Tennis Actu. “I would find it a little strange, because today the sums generated by Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner are so disproportionate that… I mean, a coach like Juan Carlos Ferrero today, I can’t imagine that he couldn’t be paid at his fair value.” 

Forget also added that if the relationship ended because of money, then the situation is “ridiculous.” He added sharper context to the numbers.

“So if this is really the case, it’s frankly ridiculous, because a player who has to generate, I don’t know, 30 million euros a year, who pays his coach 800,000 or 1,500,000… at the end, it brings him so much more than he can ‘pay’, in any case,” he added. 

Their partnership built momentum year after year. They won the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals title, which marked a breakthrough moment. It positioned Alcaraz as the future of the sport.

Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz captured 24 ATP Tour singles titles. His résumé included eight ATP Masters 1000 titles. He also claimed six Grand Slam championships. He won Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, the French Open in 2024 and 2025, and the US Open in 2022 and 2025.

The 2025 season became the final year of the partnership. The year produced major results. Alcaraz won eight titles this year. He added two more Grand Slam trophies. He won the 2025 French Open and the 2025 US Open. In New York, he defeated Jannik Sinner in the final.

The world No. 1 also won three Masters 1000 titles during the 2025 campaign. He won Monte-Carlo by beating Lorenzo Musetti and later the Italian Open and the Cincinnati Open. He defeated Sinner in the final of both of those events.

Alcaraz added more hardware outside the top-tier championships. He won the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. He won the Queen’s Club Championships and the Japan Open. He earned those titles by beating Alex de Minaur, Jiří Lehečka, and Taylor Fritz.

With the split now public, an era has closed. Ferrero helped shape Alcaraz’s identity and competitive edge. And the Spaniard has now identified who will coach him next season. 

Samuel Lopez set to guide Carlos Alcaraz in 2026

On December 20, Angel Garcia Muniz of El Partidazo de COPE reported that Samuel Lopez will serve as Carlos Alcaraz’s head coach for the 2026 season. The six-time Grand Slam winner has decided not to bring in an external mentor after parting ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero. 

He shared more details in a message on X. “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. 

Lopez already has long-standing connections with the Ferrero Tennis Academy. This is the training base where Alcaraz built his foundations and continues to prepare during the offseason. 

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Lopez also worked directly with Ferrero in the early stages of Ferrero’s coaching career. He coached Ferrero when the former world No. 1 was still playing on tour. He later coached Pablo Carreno Busta and Nicolas Almagro, both of whom reached top-tier status.

Lopez officially joined Alcaraz’s team late last season. His contribution, however, began earlier. He travelled whenever Ferrero did not, and he delivered tactical input at several tournaments. His presence eased the transition once the split became public.

With the new arrangement set, Alcaraz now turns toward 2026. He has never won the Australian Open, and that target stands in front of him. The partnership with Lopez will be put to the test immediately.

The question now becomes competitive rather than administrative. With Lopez at his side, can Alcaraz win the first Grand Slam title of 2026 in Melbourne and claim his first Australian Open trophy?