BREAKING NEWS: Just weeks before the 2026 Australian Open, the tennis world is once again shaken by a completely unexpected event: Carlos Alcaraz González, father of world number one Carlos Alcaraz, has publicly apologized to coach Juan Carlos Ferrero: “Carlitos still needs you, and we need you.
I apologize for letting things go too far.”
It didn’t stop at apologies, as the most influential father figure in Spanish tennis also extended an invitation for him to return immediately as head coach, with a new “gigantic” benefits package, far superior to the previous contract… Ferrero responded directly through a private call with a close journalist, with just 14 words in Spanish that left González completely speechless.
LATEST NEWS — Just weeks before the start of the 2026 Australian Open, world tennis is in the midst of a media storm that no one saw coming.
When everything pointed to a relatively stable preseason for the world number one, Carlos Alcaraz, an unexpected public confession from his father, Carlos Alcaraz González, has reopened deep wounds and put at the center of the debate a break that seemed definitive: the separation with his historic coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The apology, delivered in an unusually emotional tone, resonated like an earthquake around the circuit. “Carlitos still needs you, and we need you. I apologize for letting things get out of hand,” Alcaraz Sr. told a small group of journalists.
His words were not only intended to repair a damaged professional relationship, but also to send a clear message to the tennis world: the Alcaraz family was willing to make concessions that, until a few months ago, seemed unthinkable.
Far from simply offering an apology, the father of the Spanish champion presented a proposal for Ferrero’s immediate return as Carlos Alcaraz’s head coach.
According to sources close to the negotiations, the new contract included a 40% increase in base salary, far exceeding the previous figure and approaching the “very high” amount that Ferrero had reportedly demanded before the split.
In the context of Spanish tennis, this would be one of the most lucrative deals ever offered to a coach.
But money wasn’t the only key issue. The Alcaraz family also offered greater flexibility in decision-making, an aspect that, according to insiders, was one of the main causes of the rift.
Ferrero could choose his travel schedule, would not be required to accompany Carlos to 100% of the tournaments, and would have additional assistants from the Ferrero Tennis Academy, thus strengthening his work structure.
Another crucial element of the proposed agreement was the increase in the percentage of the prize money that would go to the coach, a figure described by sources as “very attractive” and higher than the level prior to the split.
This point reflects the extent to which the Alcaraz family was willing to give ground to guarantee sporting stability before Melbourne.
Perhaps the most symbolic concession was the commitment to jointly promote the Alcaraz family academy and the Ferrero Academy. For years, Carlos Alcaraz González had insisted on promoting the “Carlos Alcaraz Tennis Academy” brand in Murcia as a priority project.
Accepting a joint promotion represented, for many analysts, an unequivocal sign of reconciliation and recognition of Ferrero’s historic role in Carlitos’ meteoric rise.
The contract also included a special clause full of symbolism: in the event of a reunion, Ferrero would become more directly involved in the training of Carlos’s younger brother, Álvaro Alcaraz.
This gesture was interpreted as an attempt at family reconciliation, a way to rebuild lost trust not only professionally, but also personally.
However, what seemed like a clear path to reunion took a dramatic and unexpected turn.
Juan Carlos Ferrero, the French Open champion and a key mentor in Alcaraz’s career, decided not to respond publicly immediately. Instead, he made a private call to a highly trusted reporter.
His message, brief and forceful, consisted of only 14 words in Spanish: “The door is already closed. Late apologies don’t fix the irreparable.”
The statement came as a complete shock. According to witnesses, it left Carlos Alcaraz González speechless and confirmed what many feared: the breakup wasn’t just contractual, but emotional.
Immediate impact on Carlos Alcaraz and the 2026 Australian Open
Ferrero’s refusal raises crucial questions ahead of the 2026 Australian Open. Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked number one in the ATP rankings, now faces the pressure of competing in one of the most demanding Grand Slams without the figure who shaped his tennis since adolescence.
Although the current team of the man from Murcia has shown competence, Ferrero’s shadow still looms large.
Experts and former players agree that this episode could become a turning point. For some, Ferrero’s refusal is a lesson about the limits of family power in elite sports.
For others, it is a sign that Carlos Alcaraz will have to definitively consolidate his identity as the absolute leader of his own project.
In tennis, as in life, few doors close forever. But for now, Juan Carlos Ferrero’s message is clear and forceful.
Weeks before Melbourne, the focus is back on the court, although the echo of these latest news will continue to resonate in every shot by Carlos Alcaraz at the 2026 Australian Open.
