"And six months later, they break up and everybody says, how come?" - Mouratoglou compares Alcaraz and Ferrero to 'married couple' after unexpected split

Highly regarded tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou shared his opinions on the split between Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero, comparing them to a 'married couple.'

This piece of news, broken on 17 December, has been the main talking point in the tennis world. It is a huge surprise for many to see the two Spaniards go their separate ways after what seemed like a glorious relationship, backed up with a huge amount of success on the court.

Alcaraz is currently the world number one after a brilliant year. He won two Grand Slams, taking his tally up to six, as well as coming out on top in another six tournaments while engaging in a stunning rivalry with Jannik Sinner, with the two playing in a number of show stopping clashes.

Mouratoglou has had an illustrious coaching career. He is most well-known for aiding Serena Williams from 2012-2022, overseeing 10 Grand Slam triumphs and a whole host of records and accolades. He has also coached the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka and Holger Rune. His experience in the sport has made him a respective figure in tennis, with him regularly offering his insight on the game.

The French coach shared his personal feelings and opinions on the news on his Instagram page. "It was a huge shock, huge for everybody. Nobody expected Carlos and Juan Carlos to break up. We had really the feeling that this collaboration was for life," Mouratoglou stated.

"At that age, when you have a very long-term collaboration, the relationship takes another turn and it becomes really almost family. It was working incredibly well, that's also a point. Carlos was crazy successful. So when you put all this together, nobody imagined that this would break at some point."

The reasons does not seem to be between Alcaraz and Ferrero. Financial issues has been a reason thrown around but the duo seemed to have left on good terms. When looking deeper into the situation, Mouratoglou picked out Alcaraz's Netflix documentary 'My Way.' "The only reason why there was a doubt was the documentary on Netflix," he said. "To be able to coach well, the player needs to feel understood. And the coach has to feel I can have an impact on what's important."

He followed this by drawing comparisons to a married couple. "I would make a parallel that maybe will sound strange, but it's exactly like a couple. You know, they are a married couple," he commented. "You think that they are the ideal couple. You think, wow, I wish my couple would be as great as theirs. And six months later, they break up and everybody says, how come?"

Alcaraz needs to overcome this and put his full attention towards the Australian Open, the first major event of the year. It is the only Grand Slam that he has not won, never making it past the quarter-finals in a huge outlier in what is a very decorated major record. With the ATP season officially starting at the forefront of 2026, Alcaraz fans will have to be a bit ore patient for the 22-year-old's return. He will first feature in the Hyundai Card Super Match in Incheon, South Korea, on January 10. The exhibition will be played alongside Sinner. He will then look towards glory in Melbourne, as he looks to put the recent news to the back of his mind.

"This breakup between Carlos and Juan Carlos shows that nobody knows what's happening behind closed doors. It's a difficult moment for Carlos, for sure, especially being so close to a Grand Slam. Nobody can say what's going to happen, nobody," he concluded.