“He keeps adding exhibition after exhibition and Ferrero didn’t agree with that”: Bartoli points to scheduling concerns after Alcaraz coach split

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli addressed the separation of Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero—one of the news stories that has set the tone for the off-season. The surprising separation of the world No. 1 from his long-term coach has rocked the tennis world, and Bartoli voiced her concerns regarding the implications this could have for the 22-year-old heading into the start of the season.

The French former player expressed her concerns about the moment the announcement arrived—in the middle of the off-season and with the Australian Open getting closer. Melbourne is the great objective for Alcaraz in 2026, as he seeks to complete the Career Grand Slam and hunt for the title in Australia for the first time.

"I am both worried and, at the same time, I hope to be reassured before too long because, precisely, he is currently looking for someone who could replace Juan Carlos Ferrero, and I will elaborate on that a bit later,” she said to RMC Sports.

“First of all, the timing raises huge questions and concerns. No one decides to change coaches on a December 17th like they did,” the Frenchwoman commented. “This implies that both parties were certain they would start the 2026 season together. If you ever start thinking a coach might not suit you, you begin reflecting on potential names after the US Open, and then you notify your coach at the end of the season. Meaning, for Carlos, after Turin—since he couldn't play with Spain after getting injured in the Turin final against Jannik Sinner.”

“You notify him at the end of the contract, and you start your pre-season—your training block in December to prepare for the Australian Open—with your new coach. None of these steps were followed, which means both of them obviously thought they would continue together, and somehow, it was interrupted.”

Bartoli mentioned that while financial issues have been alluded to, she considered that there are other matters going beyond the economic agreement that led to the disagreement between Alcaraz and his former coach. “The deep reasons why Juan Carlos and Carlos failed to reach an agreement are not solely financial. There is actually a problem regarding the tournament schedule chosen by Carlos Alcaraz and his entourage,” Bartoli added. “Specifically, many exhibition matches were added, which Juan Carlos Ferrero does not agree with.”

“I mention this because it seems important: after the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz decided not to go to Asia, not to play the Asian swing. He then played an exhibition in Riyadh, came to play the Rolex Paris Masters where he wasn't in shape at all—he wasn't ready to play. And indeed, he goes to the Masters in Turin, gets injured in the final, and cannot defend Spain's colors in the Davis Cup final."

The former WTA world No. 7 asserted that part of the disagreements had to do with Alcaraz's decision to schedule exhibitions during his time out of competition, something that has been a recurring theme in the 6-time major champion's career during recent seasons.

“Basically, Juan Carlos Ferrero tells him that, yes, he has exceptional muscular qualities—he is powerful, elastic, fast, has stamina, and everything you want—but he has a tendency to get injured more than other players,” Bartoli added. “Therefore, he isn't careful enough about planning real recovery periods and keeps adding exhibition after exhibition during the time when he should be training.”

“For example, right now in December, he went off to play two exhibitions in the United States. There is a third one scheduled with Jannik Sinner in Seoul on January 10th. And Juan Carlos Ferrero, with his experience as a former world number one and Grand Slam winner, does not agree with that. Unfortunately, they couldn't reach an internal agreement."

The Frenchwoman also asserted that Ferrero is key to challenging Sinner, considering the role the former Roland Garros champion fulfilled, giving instructions throughout the match—and not just limiting his work to training sessions.

“The name of Carlos Moyá is circulating, who of course worked with Nadal. There is David Ferrer, who knows him very well as his Davis Cup captain. There are even names like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer circulating.”

“In any case, Carlos is obliged to have someone to supervise him. He is someone with pure genius. But if he isn't guided... you have to understand that Juan Carlos Ferrero talks to him between every point. Between every point, he tells him what to do tactically: where to play, how to adapt, whether to stand back on the return or step in, whether to serve more out wide, with more kick, or flatter. He coaches him between every single point."

"Today, Carlos Alcaraz cannot have the same output [without that]. Especially against Jannik Sinner; we already see that it's very tight, down to a single point—he lost the Roland-Garros final against him. Continuing to be 'alone,' so to speak, on the court relying only on his qualities is not enough. I think he will have the intelligence to surround himself with a team, but he absolutely needs it. Otherwise, he won't be competitive against the qualities that Jannik Sinner is developing, who is training every day in Dubai. I can tell you that a huge volume of training has continued to improve his game.”