Juan Carlos Ferrero discusses his career and Alcaraz in new book

Juan Carlos Ferrero stepped out of his academy in Villena and drove to Madrid to discuss his career, his time working with Carlos Alcaraz, and his desire to return to the ATP coaching circuit in a new autobiography titled Mentalidad ganadora.

Laying Bricks, Roland Garros, and the Cost of Elite Ambition

Ferrero spent eight months writing the book, which traces an improbable arc from laying bricks at his own academy courts to capturing the 2003 Roland Garros title and reaching the summit of the world rankings. Promotion for the release has forced the 46-year-old to confront the hidden sacrifices that defined his era. A severe bout of chickenpox at age 24 derailed his momentum right at his absolute peak, enforcing six months away from the tour and triggering physical complications that prematurely truncated his playing career until he finally retired at age 32 due to severe mental exhaustion.

Shielding Alcaraz from Social Outings and Online Noise

Cadena SER and Diario AS noted that Ferrero fought a losing battle trying to curb distractions, admitting that managing Alcaraz’s late-night social outings and shielding him from critical online noise was exceptionally difficult. En lo que más trabajé con Carlos fue en controlarse a sí mismo, Ferrero told the network, detailing how the young star’s perfectionism routinely caused him to punish himself harshly after missed shots.

Family Disagreements Behind the High-Profile December Split

That intense partnership came to an abrupt end in December 2025 when Alcaraz stunned the tennis world by announcing the split, a parting of ways Ferrero addressed carefully nearly a year later. Entre la familia y yo hubo aspectos en los que no nos pusimos de acuerdo y ya está, no pasa nada, Ferrero stated, adding that while the fracture was emotionally difficult at first, he has since healed enough to watch Alcaraz’s matches on television again without lingering pain.

Weighing Future Opportunities with Sinner and Jódar

With an undeniable itch to return to the tour, Ferrero has refused to rule out future high-profile positions, keeping the door wide open to working with rising Spanish talent Rafa Jódar or even Italian star Jannik Sinner. La Razón and Cadena SER highlighted the coach’s candid defiance against critics questioning the ethics of potentially coaching Alcaraz’s arch-rival. Quiero seguir creciendo como entrenador y no quiero cerrarme esa puerta, Ferrero remarked.