"He Took the First Flight to Alicante": Behind the Scenes of the Progressive Divorce Between Alcaraz and Ferrero

Repeated absences, an annoyed father, a coach who leaves Paris without a word: the underlying details of the split between Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero reveal a story of broken trust.

© THIBAUD MORITZ / AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 21/12/2025 à 17h29

2 min to read

Alcaraz Carlos Ferrero Juan

The abrupt split between Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero has been a hot topic in the media this week, with several Spanish sources citing various reasons to explain this sudden breakup.

While Marca has focused in recent days on a contractual conflict, the website La Verdad, for its part, delves deeper into the gradual but certain deterioration of the relationship between Ferrero and the Alcaraz family.

"The first notable clash occurred in 2023"

Journalist Francisco J. Moya indeed speaks of a "progressive divorce," which would have started more than two years ago, specifically during the 2023 South American tour.

"The first notable clash occurred in 2023, when Ferrero decided—without consulting anyone—that he would not accompany Carlitos on the South American clay-court tour and sent veteran Antonio Martínez Cascales in his place, who had been his coach and had guided him from the courts of Villena to the world number one spot."

A decision that took Alcaraz's father by surprise, who began to get annoyed, to become "uncomfortable" with Ferrero's repeated absences from various tournaments. It was in this context that the recruitment of Samuel Lopez took place last year, before the breakup this winter.

"He took the first flight to Alicante"

The latest episode dates back to the Paris Masters 1000, where Alcaraz was surprisingly eliminated in the first round by Cameron Norrie:

"Ferrero's eagerness to leave the La Défense facilities surprised the rest of the Alcaraz camp. This should have been a key moment to analyze this defeat, establish a stronger presence with Alcaraz, and provide moral support ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin. But Ferrero took the first flight to Alicante and went home."

The media specifies that the famous contract was not the main reason for the split, as "salary and percentages could be negotiated."

"Ferrero wanted his academy to remain the base camp"

Finally, the last conflict between the two men arose over the training location, with Alcaraz now preferring his new academy located at his home in El Palmar.

"For Alcaraz, training at home, at the family club, and spending the little free time he has in Murcia with his loved ones is non-negotiable. He clearly indicated two years ago that he would not return to Villena, the location of Juan Carlos's academy. Ferrero, on the other hand, wanted his academy to remain the world number one's base camp."