Carlos Alcaraz's agent, Molina, revealed how surprised the Spaniard's father was when an agent showed interest in representing his son from an early age. The agent revealed that Juan Carlos Ferrero did not
receive a top-tier coach’s salary when he started working with the young star.
The former world No. 1 chose to train a young Alcaraz at 16 and turned down
several top-level players.
The coach
formally started working with Alcaraz in 2019, and in February 2020, the young
Spaniard made his ATP Tour debut at the Rio Open. Alcaraz's rise was
incredible, and just two years later, he won his first Grand Slam title at the
US Open and reached No. 1 at just 20 years old.
"Ferrero believed in Alcaraz's potential from the start."
Alcaraz
always emphasizes Ferrero’s importance in his impressive progress on the Tour.
The 21-year-old sees the former No. 1 as a father figure in his professional
career, and they share a special bond that goes beyond their working
relationship.
Ferrero had
a successful career from 1998 to 2012, reaching No. 1 and winning the 2003
French Open, as well as being a finalist at the 2003 US Open. The Spaniard had
a brief return to the Tour in 2017 to play the doubles draw at the Barcelona
Open with Pablo Carreño Busta, losing in the first round in what was his only
match played since retirement.
In 2017,
Ferrero began working as a tennis coach for Alexander Zverev, who lost to
Alcaraz in the French Open final last Sunday. Their partnership lasted only
eight months, and Ferrero later criticized the German’s lack of discipline.
Several
top-level players expressed interest in working with Ferrero, but he turned
them down because he believed in the project of turning Alcaraz into an elite
player. Albert Molina, who works with the sports management company IMG, was
the first to see Alcaraz’s potential at just 14 years old and negotiated deals
to finance his career.
Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title at 2022 US Open.
The agent had to start a process of persuading the family and approached Alcaraz's father to represent him. Molina himself managed the partnership with Ferrero a year later. Molina had
to inform Ferrero that his salary would not match that of top-level coaches:
"I talked to my bosses, I told them that in Spain there is a kid with a
good projection and from the United States they gave me the OK. A part of the
money helped us and Ferrero on the other hand,” Molina said.
“He makes the
effort and invests in the future. When he accepts and starts working with
Carlos, he is aware that he is not going to enter or be paid like a coach of a
top player."
However,
Ferrero had no objections because he firmly believed in the project that Carlos
Alcaraz represented. Some time ago, in an interview with Punto de Break, his
former coach Antonio Martínez Cascales revealed that players like Marin Cilic,
Juan Martin Del Potro, Simona Halep, and Dominic Thiem wanted to work with
Ferrero. The Austrian even offered Ferrero to include Alcaraz in some of the
travels for experience, but Ferrero remained committed to working full-time
with the teenager.
While
Ferrero's exact salary is unknown, he is undoubtedly one of the highest-paid
coaches on the ATP Tour, with Alcaraz earning over $30,000,000 in prize money
in just his fourth professional season: "Carlos invests in the future. And
since we have a very good relationship... This is based a lot on personal
relationships," Molina said.
Investing in the future is nice in the moment, but then people
can fail you. But Juan Carlos and I have a good relationship and we knew that
what we agreed would later be fulfilled. And then the family has been very
noble and always complied with what was said," Carlos Alcaraz's agent added.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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