Carlos Alcaraz stunned the tennis world by parting with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero at the end of 2025. The move even seemed to surprise the coach. Both posted on social media about the announcement, and one was far more confused than the other.
In their time working together, Alcaraz had reached No. 1 on the ATP and won six Grand Slams (two each at the US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon). The player was just 22 years old and on the verge of becoming one of the best players to ever pick up a racket. He might still reach that level.
The question moving forward is who will help him get there. Sure, Ferrero and Alcaraz could always work together again, but tennis fans should assume that won't happen anytime soon. Former ATP No. 1 Mats Wilander, though, has a great idea about who should be the Spaniard's next coach, and it is an icon.
Mats Wilander suggests Carlos Alcaraz's new coach should be Roger Federer
Speaking with Eurosport, Wilander suggested that Alcaraz should consider reaching out to Roger Federer and see if he might be willing to take a break from his family and busy schedule to help promote the sport of tennis and coach him. Wilander had a good idea why.
"I think it’s very important to have a Grand Slam winner in your ear, he already had Juan Carlos Ferrero," the Swedish great said. "...let’s consider Roger Federer...Now you are talking about someone who could really help Carlos Alcaraz with the game he doesn’t feel as comfortable with. And I think Roger Federer would be the perfect coach for Carlos Alcaraz."
The idea of seeing Federer sit in Alcaraz's box during the higher-stress matches of Grand Slams would be fun. The interaction would be one of older wisdom, based on past greatness, and a player who is already elite, trying to cement his all-time excellence. Federer probably would help the young Spaniard win a lot more majors.
Carlos Alcaraz, though, does seem bent on wanting to make his own mark. One rumor about why he split with Ferrero, for instance, was that Alcaraz wanted to build up his own tennis academy. That doesn't imply that Alcaraz would suddenly want to be somewhat in the shadow of his new coach.
Still, while the idea of Roger Federer, who doesn't already work as a coach, working with Carlos Alcaraz is a fun one, it isn't likely. One can hope, though.