Carlos Alcaraz praised as 'smart' for parting ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero by Daniil Medvedev's ex-coach: Here's why

Carlos Alcaraz recently called time on his partnership with Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven years of training under the former World No.1. While the decision was controversial, Daniil Medvedev's ex-coach Gilles Cervara has shown his support for the Spaniard's choice.

Alcaraz and Ferrero began to work together in 2019, when the former was only 15-years old. Under Ferrero's guidance, the youngster went on to become one of the most dominant men's singles players on the ATP Tour, winning six Grand Slam titles and eight ATP Masters 1000 crowns.

As Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero announced their split, Danill Medvedev's ex-coach Gilles Cervara recently weighed in on the Spaniard's choice, telling L’Equipe,

“I’ve noticed that these champions are able to sense when they need something different, or more, to keep progressing. And if that’s the case, it’s very smart of Carlos to continue improving. I think—whether it’s the player or the coach, and this is what I experienced with Daniil (Medvedev) —that at some point, it’s important to be able to sense it in advance so it’s not too late and to be sure the change is for the right reasons, towards further progress.”

Gilles Cervara began to work with Danill Medvedev in 2017. Over the course of the next eight years, the pair went on to win the 2020 ATP Tour Finals and the 2021 US Open. Cervara also led the Russian to the World No.1 rank in 2022. The duo parted ways in 2025 after a string of disappointing results.

After Carlos Alcaraz's split with Juan Carlos Ferrero, Gilles Cervara weighs in on the pros and cons of a long partnership

Ferrero and Alcaraz at the 2025 US Open (Image Source: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero enjoyed a long partnership together, making the news of their split all the more shocking. In his conversation with L’Equipe, Gilles Cervara also spoke about the pros and cons of a lengthy collaboration. Drawing from his own experiences with Danill Medvedev, the French coach shared,

“Seven years is a very long time. Beyond three years, it already starts to feel like a long time, and it's important to maintain a sense of freshness, to always find ways to improve, to challenge oneself. Even at the highest level, even in a winning team, this is important because the very highest level is precisely made up of a sum of small details, and the only way to improve is to constantly challenge oneself.”

While Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero’s split has caused controversy in the tennis world, both the Spanish stars have had only positive things to say for each other. Going into the 2026 season, it remains to be seen if Alcaraz can achieve a similar level of success without his former coach in his corner.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya