Carlos Alcaraz, under the watchful eye of Juan Carlos Ferrero, has developed into arguably the best player on the planet.
As many before him have shown, it is not easy to turn talent and expectation into tangible success.
However, the Spaniard is potentially one of the greatest ever to hit those targets, with the teenage sensation having broken all manner of ‘youngest-ever’ records previously held by stars like Rafael Nadal.
Many questioned Ferrero when he opted to coach this unknown teenager, given the risks surrounding such a decision.
Do you think Carlos Alcaraz will win the Australian Open in 2026?
And, if they really knew who else he had rejected at the time to take that position, the reaction likely would have been even greater.
The three Grand Slam champions whom Juan Carlos Ferrero rejected for Carlos Alcaraz
Antonio Martínez Cascales, who actually has worked alongside Ferrero at his academy and helped in the development of Carlos Alcaraz, has now lifted the lid on exactly who the coach snubbed for his current protégé.
He revealed, on Spanish podcast Llamada a Pista: “Juan Carlos had offers from the best, the Top 10 at that time. Thiem called him, Del Potro, Goffin, Halep… He told me he didn’t want to take up someone who was already established because he didn’t want to be a cone on the court. It was relatively surprising for me. I know Juan Carlos and what he saw in Carlos. His essence hasn’t changed. Carlos is a super nice guy, very grateful…
“That’s what Juan Carlos appreciated the most. When Carlos was 16, Juan Carlos asked me if I thought he would be number one. I said, ‘He will be number one unless something like an injury happens or he loses his way.’ He was a very special player. Juan Carlos has done a much better job than I thought.”
Then speaking about Alcaraz, Cascales concluded by adding: “Carlos is a top-five world-class athlete.
“Of course, it’s not easy. There are many things around him, but that’s what was aimed for and what has been achieved. When he was 18, it was easier because there wasn’t as much media attention as there is now. It was much easier to move around. He has always been easy to train.”
Ferrero has since revealed what would make him stop coaching Alcaraz, and fortunately there have been no signs of such a potential separation.
Meanwhile, Darren Cahill is still set to leave Jannik Sinner’s camp in 2026, with no update having yet emerged to suggest otherwise.
Carlos Alcaraz has already surpassed some of the greatest players of all time
Whilst it might have seemed a crazy decision at the time, already the 22-year-old has vindicated Ferrero’s choice.
After all, Alcaraz has surpassed all three of the Grand Slam champions mentioned, having won more majors than the three of them combined.
Not to mention that he actually has more tour-level titles than Juan Martin del Potro and Dominic Thiem, and is level with Simona Halep on 24.
Carlos Alcaraz has only ever lost one of SEVEN Grand Slam finals…
This just scratches the surface too, with Alcaraz having arguably moved past some of the sport’s most iconic figures like Andy Murray and Arthur Ashe. He is just one more Grand Slam triumph away from boasting more titles than the likes of Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg.
All this success, and it’s only just the beginning.
It’s fair to say Ferrero made a smart decision when choosing to coach a 16-year-old Alcaraz all those years ago.
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