The sudden end of the long-running partnership between Carlos Alcaraz and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has continued to ripple through the tennis world, and few reactions captured the sense of disbelief quite like that of Russian former tennis player Svetlana Kuznetsova.
The two-time Grand Slam champion described the separation as shocking due to its abruptness. In her view, the end of one of men’s tennis’ most productive coach-player relationships still feels unfinished, with questions lingering about how and why it truly came to an end.
What About the Carlos Alcaraz-Juan Carlos Ferrero Split Left Svetlana Kuznetsova Genuinely Stunned?
Via her Telegram channel, Kuznetsova emphasized the human aspect of the separation. “I finished reading Juan Carlos Ferrero’s long interview with the Spanish publication Marca. It’s quite frank and human. Juan Carlos says he’s hurt and upset, that he needs time to ‘digest and cool down.’”
She said Alcaraz was not the one who initiated the breakup, but he was aware it was coming. “Carlos wasn’t the one who decided to break up, but he was aware of it,” Kuznetsova said. “The most surprising thing to me is that they didn’t even sit down to talk about it. No negotiations. Ferrero thinks the differences could have been resolved by sitting down at the negotiating table, but that didn’t happen.”
Kuznetsova admitted she is still struggling to process the news. “Honestly, I still can’t believe it,” she said. “The perfect team that built a champion has fallen apart.”
Looking ahead, she left the door open to a reunion, suggesting that if Alcaraz’s results dip, a reunion would not be out of the question. In her words, Ferrero is not closing the door on a future return.
A Closer Look at the Foundation of the Alcaraz-Carlos Ferrero Partnership
Alcaraz and Ferrero were closely linked from the moment the Spaniard joined Ferrero’s academy in 2018 as a promising but raw 15-year-old. What followed was one of the most productive coach-player relationships in modern tennis. Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz climbed from Futures and Challenger events to the very top of the ATP Tour in a remarkably short time.
By 2021, he had already captured his first ATP title, reached the US Open quarterfinals, and won the Next Gen ATP Finals. The partnership only grew stronger in the seasons that followed, with Alcaraz becoming the youngest World No. 1 in men’s tennis after winning the US Open in 2022, then adding Wimbledon in 2023 and Roland Garros in 2024 to his résumé.
During their partnership, Alcaraz assembled a remarkable list of achievements, claiming six Grand Slam trophies, eight Masters 1000 titles, and spending multiple periods at the top of the ATP rankings. He confirmed on Dec. 17 that he and Ferrero had agreed to go their separate ways. Even so, a degree of continuity was preserved within his setup, with Ferrero confidant Samuel López assuming day-to-day coaching responsibilities late in 2024 and continuing in that role.
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz Split Explained As Ex-Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero Speaks on Contract Terms He ‘Couldn’t Accept’
In his recent Marca interview, Ferrero said the split with Alcaraz hurt him emotionally and came down to contract disagreements, not personal or on-court issues. He revealed they never sat down to negotiate properly, something he believes could have avoided the breakup.
Ferrero denied money was the driving factor, stressed their relationship had been excellent, and left the door open to working together again in the future, praising Alcaraz’s potential to become one of the greatest players ever.
