‘We don’t talk much’ – Juan Carlos Ferrero reveals Carlos Alcaraz regrets
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s split from former charge Carlos Alcaraz still cuts deep for the Spaniard.
Seemingly out of the blue, the then six-time major winner announced the end of his seven-year stint with Ferrero last December.
Many felt this was a mistake but just over a month later, Alcaraz won his first Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam at the age of 22 – the youngest ever to achieve the feat.
Alcaraz made a seamless transition to Samuel Lopez’s sole stewardship, while Ferrero’s importance appeared to fade into the background.
Previously, the former French Open winner said he wanted to continue working with the player he had teamed up with at the age of 15.
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Now, Ferrero has admitted he would tweak some of the coaching methods he used to nurture Alcaraz but he doesn’t regret pushing him “to the limit”.
Moreover, he added that they don’t communicate nearly as much these days, bar the odd bit of praise after a tournament win. Overall, Ferrero does “miss” his former pupil.
He told Corriere della Sera, “I miss the way he carried himself on the court – aggressive, yet always with a smile. I watched him grow from the time he was 15, reaching heights I never thought possible.
“With him, you always had the feeling that you were writing the history of this sport. Talking about it brings back memories; a little sadness is normal. But I’m okay: I gave Carlos everything I could. Talking about it is never easy.
“When they put a 15-year-old in your hands, you have to teach him everything. It’s not an easy job. In hindsight, I’d change a few small things, but not the essence.
“I imposed tough training and discipline on Carlos right from the start. I pushed him to the limit many times. I kept him grounded. That’s my way of doing things, and the work paid off.
“We don’t talk much. I wrote to him when he won in Australia and in Doha. I spoke to him when he got injured. Nothing more. We both needed space to start over.”
Alcaraz is currently out with a wrist injury, a problem that forced him to miss the French Open and has ruled him out of this summer’s Wimbledon.
It remains to be seen when he will return and if Ferrero will get back into coaching anytime soon.
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