"Ferrero is hard to replace," says Roddick about Alcaraz

It's an announcement that has shaken the tennis world: Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero are ending eight years of a fruitful collaboration. For Andy Roddick, questions are flying about the future of the world number 1.

© THIBAUD MORITZ / AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 18/12/2025 à 11h16

2 min to read

Alcaraz Carlos Ferrero Juan Roddick Andy

After eight years of collaboration, Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero have decided to call it quits. Unexpected news, as the world number 1 has had a sparkling season.

But this Wednesday, both men announced in a message on their respective social networks that their paths were separating with immediate effect. In his podcast "Served With Andy Roddick," the former American world number 1 thus returned to this news that has caused a huge reaction in the tennis world.

"It's not like a typical player-coach relationship... Carlos (Alcaraz) trains at the academy built by Juan Carlos Ferrero. Now, another question arises: will he stay there, or will he have to change his habits?

"It's difficult to project what might happen in the short term"

He is the only one who has trained players from the age of 13 or 14, accompanying them throughout their journey, from the hundredth to the 30th rank, then to a Grand Slam title, so that they later become top players.

He needed someone who was already there as a player or who had already been a coach there. So I think there are very few people who could take over. Ferrero is hard to replace.

"If things go wrong at the Australian Open, it will change the momentum gained at the US Open"

His relationship with Samuel Lopez is worrying, in the sense that it is difficult to project what might happen in the short term. There is also the off-court aspect: who is going to tell him "no"? Who is going to tell him not to go play at Madison Square Garden? Who is going to tell him not to go to Ibiza? He is almost the most famous athlete in the world.

If he goes to the Australian Open and has a good tournament, even going all the way, I think that will set everything in place. It will be like: 'OK, everything is fine. I don't need my pacifier.' But if things go wrong... then I think it will significantly change the momentum gained at the US Open," elaborated the former world number 1.