‘Professional’ Carlos Alcaraz praised by Davis Cup captain for handling of Ferrero split
Former world No 3 and Spanish Davis Cup captain David Ferrer has praised Carlos Alcaraz for the handling of his split from Juan Carlos Ferrero, and for his impressive start to 2026.
World No 1 Alcaraz announced last December that he had parted ways with coach Ferrero, ending a partnership that had started when the 22-year-old was still a teenager.
Under Ferrero’s guidance, Alcaraz won his first six Grand Slam titles and became the youngest-ever man to reach world No 1, with the partnership among the most successful in recent tennis history.
Plenty has been made of the split between Alcaraz and Ferrero, with the latter speaking out about the split in multiple interviews in recent weeks.
Despite the split still being a frequent topic of discussion, it does not appear to have affected Alcaraz greatly.
The world No 1 is yet to taste defeat in 2026, starting his season with a run to his seventh Grand Slam title at the Australian Open — a win that made him the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam.
That was then followed by victory at the Qatar Open, with Alcaraz picking up an emphatic 50-minute win over Arthur Fils in the final.
Speaking to Clay and RG Media, Ferrer stated that Alcaraz’s “professional” behaviour surrounding his split with Ferrero helped contribute to his recent success.
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“A break-up like that is never easy, because in the end there’s an emotional side to it, and that will always be there,” said Ferrer.
“Carlos is a very focused player, very professional, and he showed he handled the end of his partnership with Ferrero very well emotionally, both in Australia and in Doha.”
Alcaraz will not turn 23 until May, though, he has already cemented his place as an all-time great of the sport.
The 22-year-old is already a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, and he has been tipped by many to potentially emulate the achievements of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer.
Ferrer knows better than most about just how good the ‘Big 3’ were at their peak, with the Spaniard facing all of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal — his fellow Spaniard — frequently throughout his career.
And, the 43-year-old believes there are obvious comparisons between Alcaraz and the ‘Big 3’, in particular to compatriot Nadal.
He added: “Carlitos is having a very good year. Obviously, he hasn’t lost a match yet and that also gives you a lot of confidence and stability.
“I think he’s a special player, different, like Rafa Nadal was, like the Big Three. They are players who handle pressure very well.”
Alcaraz’s fine form has continued into the start of his Indian Wells campaign, with the Spaniard looking well placed to lift the title at the Masters 1000 event.
After an opening-round bye, he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in round two, before a battling three-set win against 26th seed Arthur Rinderknech on Sunday.
Alcaraz will face 13th seed Casper Ruud in fourth-round action on Wednesday, with the winner then facing qualifier Rinky Hijikata or 27th seed Cameron Norrie in the quarter-final.
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