"He can win several Grand Slams in a year, so the dream would be to go for all four" - Samuel Lopez lavishly praises Ferrero while touching on first few weeks coaching Alcaraz

At the start of 2026, there were huge doubts looming over the head of Carlos Alcaraz after the story of the off-season was announced. Juan Carlos Ferrero would not be by his side, but in fairness he has coached quite well with his new right-hand man, Samuel Lopez, taking some of the plaudits for this success. However, he quickly shifted the praise back to Ferrero learnt a lot from the former Roland Garros champion.

Back in December, Alcaraz announced the surprising news that Ferrero would not be coaching him anymore. This was a hugely damning statement which was reacted to by many tennis fans and pundits, in complete and utter disbelief to what they just read.

The 22-year-old had been with Ferrero since the age of 15 when he entered his training camp. Since then, he has taken the young Spaniard under his wing, guiding him to special heights with an array of triumphant titles being collected. This included six Grand Slam titles while spending a large amount of time as world number one.

However, the bubble burst and Alcaraz was forced to go his own way. Many speculated and advised on his next coaching choice but he kept his trust in his team, promoting within and offering Lopez the reigns Down Under. Alcaraz went there without making it past the Australian Open quarterfinal, but left having become the youngest player in history to complete the career Grand Slam. He backed this up with the Qatar Open title, and will be desperate to add the Sunshine double to his ever-growing collection as he looks to prolong his incredible dominant streak into Indian Wells.

Speaking to Josep Pedrerol on El Cafelito, Ferrero admitted that he was pushing for Lopez to take the hot seat. “I was the first to encourage Samu to accept the job of coaching Carlos," he stated. "He's someone I trust completely, I'm very happy for him, and it makes me very happy and relieved to know that he's aware of all the work that's been done over the years. At the same time, seeing someone I trust so much coaching Carlos hurts a little, but I'm getting better at it.”

While it may has pained Ferrero to see someone else coach his prodigy, he is left in good hands with much of his wisdom passed over to Lopez who has credited Ferrero for the position that he is now relishing.

“I’ve also learned a lot from Juan Carlos as a player and from the time we spent together on the team. I always try to listen and take the best from every experience,” he told Alicante publication Aqui en Villena.

Lopez has been a part of the team since 2025 as a second coach. Before he would traverse to smaller events that Ferrero could not go to. Now, he is the top man overlooking the progress of the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

So far Alcaraz is yet to lose in 2026, with Lopez hugely impressed by the work ethic that he possesses on court. “The first few weeks have been marked by Carlos’ total commitment to pre-season. He’s shown great focus, intensity in training, and a very open attitude to listening and accepting help. This shows his growth in maturity,” Lopez underlined.

While it was a new challenge for both player and coach, the adaption period was not really a huge obstacle. “I was already working with Juan Carlos Ferrero last year and have known Carlos since he arrived at the academy, so the adaptation has been natural. The start has been very positive, and the results have also been there, which always makes the job easier.”

He has already seen enough to put forward a huge challenge for Alcaraz to complete: win all four Grand Slams in a calendar year. “Carlos has already shown that he can win several Grand Slams in a year, so the dream would be to go for all four," he said. "It’s ambitious, but possible. Above all, we want to arrive at the Major tournaments in top form and compete for them. Hopefully, we can win more important titles, and if we win all four, even better.”

Alcaraz will take to the court at Indian Wells in the hunt for a first title at the venue. He will play his second round match against Grigor Dimitrov on March 7 in front of a highly excited audience ready to see the best player in the world perform at the highest level once more.