Juan Carlos Ferrero, has made headlines once again. But this time, for a surprising career pivot away from the tennis spotlight amid the Australian Open buzz.

While Ferrero said he’s “not closing the door” to a possible reunion with Carlos Alcaraz in the future, he also made clear that he plans to take time before committing to another coaching role. Everyone expected him to return to elite tennis coaching sooner or later, especially amid reports that top players had reached out. Instead, Ferrero has now confirmed a new collaboration in golf.

Through a recent IG post, Alcaraz’s ex-coach confirmed that he’ll now be working with rising Spanish golfer Angel Ayora in a consultancy role:

“Excited to announce a new professional collaboration for 2026! I’ll be working alongside @angel.ayora_, a young golfer with great potential; his coach, @coachjuanochoa; and his management team, @allinsports_group. We’ll be working together on the mental side of performance and professional development.”

Ferrero also wrote, “Tennis is my life,” and he’ll continue giving his all at the Academy and on the circuit. But despite his connection to tennis, the Spaniard also wrote that “golf also excites me.”

“It’s an individual sport where the mental aspect plays a crucial role. I’m delighted to be able to contribute my experience and support Ángel’s growth on the circuit,” continued Ferrero. “We’ve already started, highly motivated and looking forward to continuing this journey,”

But who’s Angel Ayora? Born on October 3, 2004, in Malaga, Spain, Ayora is one of Europe’s most promising young golf talents. He began playing at age 5 and even showed early potential in tennis before committing to golf.

Since turning pro, he has quickly climbed the European ranks, making his world ranking debut at the 2022 Andalucia Masters and later competing in the Eisenhower Trophy. Represented by Javier Ballesteros, the son of golf legend Seve Ballesteros, Ayora is widely viewed as a future star, making Carlos Alcaraz’s ex-coach’s unexpected crossover into golf all the more intriguing.

While Juan Carlos Ferrero’s passion for tennis remains strong, his bold step into another sport underscores his deep interest in performance psychology and proves his post-Alcaraz journey is far from predictable. But talking about unpredictability, even Carlos Alcaraz recently made a very bold move in his team after the split with Ferrero.

Carlos Alcaraz reveals his brother will have a bigger role in the team

Carlos Alcaraz arrived in Melbourne with one clear goal: to win the only Grand Slam missing from his collection and complete a Career Grand Slam. However, this year’s Australian Open also marks his first major without longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in his corner.

The absence of the former world number one has raised eyebrows, but Alcaraz has remained calm about the transition, insisting he still has full confidence in his current setup. “I just built my team, which is the same as I’m having you know, last year, except for Juan Carlos.”

Coming to the split, although Alcaraz publicly described it as a mutual decision, reports have suggested there may have been underlying contract tensions. Samuel Lopez has been guiding him at Melbourne Park, and Alcaraz has already insisted his daily routines remain largely unchanged after Ferrero’s departure. But who’s that member in that team who has now been given an additional responsibility?

Well, adding a new dynamic to his team, Carlos Alcaraz has now revealed his brother, Alvaro Alcaraz, will take on a more prominent role following Ferrero’s departure. Despite lacking top-level coaching experience, Alvaro will work alongside Lopez, having previously supported Carlos in a non-coaching capacity.

“My brother is a very important person in my personal and professional life. He brings me many positive things that I need to perform better and well on the court and in tournaments… He knows how we operate and how the tour works, and he knows a ton about tennis. Sometimes, he has opinions and a way of seeing things that bring a lot to me and to Samu. Happy to see him in the box, even more involved, and he brings me a lot.”

Will this bold move in the team help Carlos Alcaraz win his first-ever title in Melbourne? Well, we don’t know. But he has already gotten off to a strong start at the 2026 AO, reaching the QF without dropping a set.