Ferrero and López confess the main goal of 2026 for Alcaraz: "The mission is to keep his ambition awake"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 11 Dec 2025 | 16.16

Ferrero and López confess Alcaraz's main goal for 2026: "The mission is to keep his ambition awake." Photo: Gettyimages

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Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samu López have been crucial in the successful season of Carlos Alcaraz. The duo, formed with López's arrival at the beginning of the season, has been a perfect blend of Ferrero's experience, with over seven years of relationship with the player from Murcia, and the freshness brought by the former coach of Pablo Carreño.

The partnership between Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samu López has worked quite well in 2025 as both have been recognized by the ATP as the best coaches of the year in a vote conducted by the rest of the circuit's coaches. After Carlos Alcaraz's season, it's no wonder: eight titles, including Roland Garros and US Open, 71 victories, and reclaiming the number one spot in the ATP ranking. A truly unforgettable year.

To mark this award, the two coaches of Alcaraz gave an interview with the ATP in which they discussed the impact of Samu López joining the team and the pivotal moment that changed the number one player's season, while revealing their main goal for 2026.

A Duo That Has Known Each Other for Many Years

Ferrero: "It is a great joy. I had no doubts that Samuel would fit perfectly into the work philosophy because we have been together for many years and he knows exactly what I want for Carlos. He has done a great job from the beginning."

Lopez: "Everything has been easy because the results have accompanied us. I have known Juan Carlos since he was ten years old and Carlos since he took his first steps at the Academy (Ferrero Tennis Academy). I had been with Pablo Carreño throughout that period, but we had shared many moments. The work environment has been very easy because we have known each other for a long time and understood what Carlos needed."

The Second Coach of the Year Title in Ferrero's Career

Ferrero: "Honestly, since I joined this project, being awarded Coach of the Year has never been an objective. But to have this work recognized by the other coaches who understand, like us, how challenging it is, means a lot to me to have achieved it twice now. This year is a double joy because I share it with Samuel."

A Functional Duo

Lopez: "Perhaps I have brought freshness because Juan Carlos has been with him for seven years, and I am new. We both know the team and have contributed equally but in different ways. Above all, we have emphasized the importance of joy in our work."

Ferrero: "The goal is for Carlos to work at 100% and bring out the talent he holds within. We do this with hard work and discipline, but also with joy and happiness. In that sense, I may be a bit more strict and serious, while Samuel is more open and playful, yet also with the seriousness required for work."

The Miami defeat and the Monte Carlo title, pivotal moments in the season's course

Ferrero: "Carlos had just won in Rotterdam, where he performed very well, but in Indian Wells and Miami, he lost some confidence. It was a challenging moment, not just to accept the defeat but how it affected him. He was a bit shaken by the tournament, and when he returned, we had a chat. We often talk with him, but when you see him more irritable or fragile at a specific moment in the season, we address it more from a psychological and friendly aspect, rather than as a coach."

"Winning in Monte Carlo, not playing his best, but with a great attitude, helped him greatly to approach the rest of the season with more clarity. From there, many finals followed, incredible results in the Grand Slams. Monte Carlo was a beacon that opened the doors to gain the confidence he needed, leading to a string of impressive results."

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samu López reveal Carlos Alcaraz's goal for 2026

Lopez: "Our mission is to keep his ambition alive. Knowing Carlos, that won't be an issue, but obviously, we should not settle for what he has achieved."

Ferrero: "From now on, that motivation has to grow, aiming to achieve great things that very few can, staying highly motivated and not settling for anything, always striving for more with that joy that characterizes him and infects all of us."

A More Mature and Communicative Alcaraz

Lopez: "Carlos has matured and realized the importance of expressing his feelings and how he feels. Since Monte Carlo, he has been much more communicative about his emotions, which has helped him greatly to express himself more, especially in difficulties, fears, and all that comes with the pressure of the circuit," says Samu López along with Juan Carlos Ferrero, laying the groundwork for a season that Carlos Alcaraz will never forget. Yet, their sights are already set on an ambitious 2026.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Ferrero y López confiesan el objetivo principal de 2026 para Alcaraz: "La misión es mantener despierta su ambición"