Former world No. 1 Kafelnikov warns Carlos Alcaraz’s new coach after Ferrero split

Former Russian tennis star Yevgeniy Kafelnikov, once a world No. 1, spoke to Serbian outlet SportKlub about the surprising breakup between Carlos Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, news that shocked the tennis world just weeks before the season begins.

Kafelnikov expressed confidence that Ferrero tried to shield Alcaraz, 22, from distractions off the court: “It’s always easy to talk when you don’t know the situation or what happened. Ferrero is a professional - he was one as a player too - and I’m sure he demands full commitment from his players and has high standards. Since Alcaraz is young, Spanish, and exposed to outside temptations, it must have been difficult to work with him lately. At 22, of course, fame, women, and everything else around him are a constant pull. No one could resist someone that young. I think Ferrero realized this and tried to separate tennis and training from the surrounding noise. I think that’s where the conflict began.”

Parental involvement fueled Alcaraz-Ferrero split

The former world No. 1 believes the main reason for the breakup was interference from Alcaraz’s parents: “The biggest mistake in the split between Ferrero and Alcaraz is the parents getting involved. I don’t know Alcaraz’s father personally, but I’ve never liked that. In my family, I made my own decisions. My father never interfered with what I paid my coach or who I hired,” Kafelnikov said.

He continued: “From what I heard, there was an argument between Ferrero and Alcaraz’s father. I’ve always said that when parents interfere, it eventually affects the player. Alcaraz is an adult and should make his own decisions. I don’t know why he didn’t tell his father, ‘Look, this is my choice. We’ve won Grand Slams together, earned a lot of money.’ I’m a little disappointed in how the relationship with Ferrero ended.”

A father’s role in a shocking split

Kafelnikov admitted he was surprised by the breakup and believes Alcaraz’s father played a key role: “I have no idea how Alcaraz will do without Ferrero. But why end such a successful collaboration? They seemed happy, and there were never any signs they were going to split - they were winning Grand Slams, ranked No. 1 in the world. I’m convinced Alcaraz’s father had a lot to do with the breakup, not Alcaraz himself.”

Advice for Alcaraz’s new coach

Looking ahead, Kafelnikov offered advice for the young Spaniard’s next coach: “I wouldn’t want to deal with Alcaraz’s parents. If Carlos reaches out directly, that’s fine. The new coach should make it clear that the parents should not interfere. They can cheer from the box, travel with him, but they shouldn’t meddle in training. A parent shouldn’t act as an agent managing business, schedules, or other responsibilities. I’m not sure who could coach Alcaraz now.”

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