Marion Bartoli believes she has insight into why Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero decided to part ways.
The announcement of their split took many by surprise, particularly since they had just concluded a successful season, achieving two Grand Slam titles and securing the world number one ranking.
In December, both Alcaraz and Ferrero made it official that they would no longer be working together, with Samuel Lopez set to step up and continue coaching Alcaraz in the interim.
There has been a lot of speculation about potential new coaches for Alcaraz, including names like Andy Murray; however, it seems unlikely that Alcaraz will bring anyone new on board before the upcoming Australian Open.
While some have pointed to financial motives behind the split, Bartoli, the Wimbledon champion, argues that the real reason lies in Alcaraz's tournament scheduling choices rather than monetary concerns.
During her appearance on RMC Sport, Bartoli expressed, "The underlying reasons for the disagreement between Juan Carlos and Carlos are not merely about finances. In fact, there appears to be a significant issue regarding the tournament schedule that Alcaraz and his team have chosen.
"Specifically, numerous exhibition matches were added to the calendar, which Juan Carlos Ferrero did not support. This is important because, after the US Open, Alcaraz decided against participating in the Asian swing of tournaments. Instead, he opted to play in an exhibition event in Riyadh and then entered the Rolex Paris Masters, where he was not in peak form. Subsequently, he went to the Masters in Turin, sustained an injury during the final, and was unable to represent Spain in the Davis Cup final."
In November, Alcaraz also participated in exhibition matches against Frances Tiafoe and Joao Fonseca after withdrawing from the Davis Cup.
The departure of Ferrero might raise concerns for Alcaraz, but his previous experiences suggest he can adapt to this major change. In 2025, for instance, Alcaraz successfully secured several tournament wins even without Ferrero in his corner, showing that he is capable of working effectively with Lopez alone.
Nonetheless, it’s clear that Alcaraz will seek to bolster his coaching staff with more seasoned expertise in the coming months. Predictions from former players hint at the possibility of Alcaraz bringing in another experienced coach, with names like Rafael Nadal’s former coach, Carlos Moya, being mentioned as potential candidates.
Ultimately, regardless of who Alcaraz chooses as his next coach, it's unlikely that this decision will derail his aspirations for success in the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments of the 2026 season.
