""I just want him to be a pure tennis boy," the journalist behind me said to their neighbor as we waited for Carlos Alcaraz to come to the main interview room. They were saying how they hoped well-paying exhibitions wouldn't distract the world No. 1 from his main job, his ATP Tour gig. Alcaraz had just arrived from South Korea, where he'd played a hit-and-giggle with Jannik Sinner that paid out at $2 million, and he'd gone to Saudi Arabia for the lucrative Six Kings Slam in 2024 and 2025, but I took the point. Alcaraz is such a smiley champion that it's more fun to think of him grinning on the practice court than cashing large checks in petrostates."
"He lacked his usual happiness when he walked into the room, though, wearing an oversized Nike baseball shirt and a cap pulled over his eyes. He'd abruptly split with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero the previous month, after the best season of his career so far. Ferrero had given his side of the story, and various reports had blamed friction between Alcaraz's family and coach, or Ferrero's desire to travel less, but we were yet to hear from Alcaraz beyond an Instagram post. Why had a seemingly summery partnership met its end? It was time to find out."
A journalist expressed a desire for Alcaraz to remain a 'pure tennis boy' and noted concern that lucrative exhibitions could distract the world No. 1 from the ATP Tour. Alcaraz returned from exhibitions in South Korea and Saudi Arabia but appeared subdued during a press encounter. He and longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero abruptly split after Alcaraz's best season. Ferrero publicly described his view; reports cited friction with Alcaraz's family or Ferrero's wish to travel less. Alcaraz offered only brief comments, calling the split mutual and affirming a continued good relationship while declining to elaborate. Ferrero had coached him since age 16.
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