P-Mac: No Surprise Alcaraz Split from Ferrero
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Photo credit: Sandra Ruhaut/Icon Sport/Getty
Carlos Alcaraz’s split from long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero last month sent shockwaves through the tennis world.
ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe said he wasn’t shocked—his only surprise was the pair’s partnership lasted as long as it did.
In an ESPN Zoom call with the media today to promote ESPN’s Australian Open coverage, which began this week with AO Qualifying coverage on ESPN+, McEnroe said he sees the split as predictable.
Patrick McEnroe, who captained the last U.S. squad to capture the Davis Cup back in 2007, cited three main reasons why the parting seemed inevitable:
- Grand Slam champions rarely retain the same coach they worked with as teenagers (obviously Rafa Nadal and Uncle Toni Nadal are exceptions as relatives).
- Ferrero is a structured disciplinarian whereas Alcaraz is more of a free-spirited improvisor.
- As an elite champion, who could make history in Melbourne Park as the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam, the 22-year-old Alcaraz “calls the shots” for his career and may have simply grown weary of Ferrero’s stricter style.
“Quite frankly, I wasn’t that surprised,” McEnroe told the media on ESPPN’s Zoom call. “I guess I’m an outlier because most people were like: I can’t believe they broke up.
“Most great players don’t stay with their coach that they started with as teenagers. Sinner, by the way, left his coach [Riccardo Piatti] a couple of years ago who had taken him from juniors to the beginning of his pro career.
“If you’re Carlos Alcaraz, you’re 15, 16 and Ferrero is a pretty strict kind of guy and Carlos is not that kind of guy. Now, he’s 22, he wants to have a good time. He’s like: I’m winning majors left and right.”
Exclusive AO main-draw coverage starts on Saturday, January 17th, with first-round coverage beginning live at 7 p.m. on the ESPN App and on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. New in 2026, match coverage continues through the early rounds starting in primetime and ending at 7 a.m.
Daily three-hour encore presentations will be available on ESPN2 throughout the tournament. The Mixed Doubles Championship on Thursday, January 29th, at 8 p.m., the Men’s and Women’s Doubles Championship on Friday, January 30th at 8 p.m. as well as the Legend’s Championship at 5:30 a.m. and the Juniors Singles Championship at 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 31st, will stream exclusively on the ESPN App.
During his wildly successful seven-year partnership with former world No. 1 Ferrero, Alcaraz won 24 titles, including 6 Grand Slam championships, rose to world No. 1 and earned more than $57 Million in prize money. Additionally, Ferrero earned ATP Coach of the Year honors in 2025 for the second time in the lat four years.
Still, ESPN analyst Christopher Eubanks said those results don’t necessarily supersede differences the pair may have had on contractual obligations or devotion to discipline.
“As a player, and I know player-coach relationships, and I know results aren’t everything,” Eubanks said. “I know players who have fired coaches after having some of the best results they’ve had, you know.
“This one, I think, was a surprise obviously because of how long they’ve been together. And how Ferrero from [age 15] brought Carlos into the professional ranks. I think we can all naturally assume, well they’re going to be together forever.
“Knowing the business part, at certain times, business can get contentious for whatever reason. Whether it’s from Carlos’ team, from Carlos himself. We already knew there was some differing opinions of what hard work meant for Ferrero versus Carlos. So we know there was already something there. When you’re spending so much time around the same people week in and week out, sometimes you just need a break. Sometimes, it’s just good to have a split.”
When Ferrero split from former Olympic gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev, he suggested the German sometimes showing up late and unprepared for practice was a core contentious issue sparking that break-up.
McEnroe suggests it’s quite possible Alcaraz realized as world No. 1 he calls the shots for his career and perhaps wanted to loosen the leash Ferrero had held in his younger years. The ESPN analyst also said as Alcaraz evolved as a champion, it was up to Ferrero to adapt to the world No. 1 and McEnroe suggests the former French Open champion did not do it.
“I think it’s more up to the coach to adapt than it is for the player. And I don’t think Ferrero—and I don’t know the details—it didn’t look like he was willing to adapt enough,” McEnroe said. “Because the player’s got to take over. When you’re that good, whether you are Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic and you come into like your prime, you’re making the calls.
“The coach isn’t telling you what to do anymore. And I think that was the nature of their relationship, because he was 15 [when they started working together], but you know the nature of the relationship has to change when now you’re Carlos Alcaraz, you’ve got the entourage, you’re making more money than you ever dreamed of. So that’s a part of it.”
Ultimately, McEnroe said the split won’t impact Alcaraz at all. A sentiment shared by Uncle Toni Nadal, who told Spanish media “I don’t think Alcaraz will be affected by this because he is a very good tennis player.”
McEnroe concurs with Toni Nadal.
“So It I think all of those things together made it like I’m not surprised at all that he moved on,” McEnroe said. “Because Carlos has got to run the show. I’m not surprised at all and I don’t think it’s going to affect him at all—to be honest.”
If you don’t already get ESPN+ through your provider and want to watch its AO Qualifying coverage, you can buy a monthly package of ESPN Unlimited for $29.99, which includes ESPN+ according to the network.
On Saturday, January 17th, ESPN+ will stream the showdown of former world No. 1 champions featuring Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter.
Here’s the schedule:
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