The end of a seven-year mentor-protégé relationship: The breakup between Alcaraz and Ferrero and Molina’s crucial role

In December 2025, the tennis world was shaken by major news: Alcaraz and his veteran coach Ferrero ended their seven-year partnership. This mentor-protégé story, which began when Alcaraz was a youth and grew into a world champion, concluded with a split. Beneath the seemingly amicable farewell lay long-standing disagreements and irreconcilable conflicts of interest, with agent Albert Molina acting as the key orchestrator behind the scenes, leading the process and driving the resolution of tensions.

Their separation was far from accidental; the core dispute centered on control over the training base and team management. Ferrero began coaching 15-year-old Alcaraz in 2018, molding him into a six-time Grand Slam winner and the youngest world number one. His Vilena Academy gained prestige thanks to his protégé, becoming a renowned tennis school in Spain. However, the Alcaraz family had already established their own tennis academy in their hometown Murcia, wanting their player to train primarily at the family base rather than Ferrero’s academy. These two academies, only 115 kilometers apart, became commercial rivals. Alcaraz’s name was a key commercial asset, and the family no longer wanted him to serve as a feeder for others. This conflict, brewing since 2023, became an irreconcilable deadlock during contract renewal talks in 2025.

The lack of tournament support was another critical trigger that widened trust gaps. During the 2023 South American clay season, Ferrero missed events citing family reasons, causing Alcaraz’s father to feel dissatisfaction for the first time. From 2024 to 2025, Ferrero skipped six tournaments including Rotterdam and Monte Carlo, delegating coaching duties to his assistant. The team’s biggest disappointment came at the 2025 Paris Masters when Alcaraz was unexpectedly eliminated; Ferrero left immediately without reviewing the match, ignoring the player’s preparation for the year-end finals. As a leading figure in men’s tennis, Alcaraz often competed without his head coach present, a rarity on the tour. The family team concluded that Ferrero had neglected his core responsibilities and refused to let this situation persist.

Disputes over salary and decision-making power accelerated the split but were not the main cause. After Ferrero’s contract expired at the end of November 2025, he waited two weeks without renewal news until December 13, when he suddenly received a new contract. Agent Molina imposed a 48-hour deadline to sign, cutting off any room for negotiation. This contract included pay cuts and strict conditions: all of Alcaraz’s commercial activities would be controlled solely by the team, coaches were forbidden to interfere, and training had to take place exclusively at the Murcia family base, directly undermining Ferrero’s authority within the team. Ferrero’s requests for amendments were rejected, leaving him with no choice but to step away.

Agent Albert Molina played a central role as the executor and conduit of conflict resolution, being the key figure who finalized the breakup. As Alcaraz’s exclusive agent since his youth, Molina consistently sided with the family’s interests. Acting as both the team’s “chief steward” and the implementer of decisions, he fully controlled the contract drafting and delivery during negotiations. By deliberately delaying for two weeks before setting a strict signing deadline, he essentially presented a “take-it-or-leave-it” renewal offer, leaving Ferrero no room for bargaining. The contract terms were carefully crafted to reflect the family’s demands, embedding control over the training base and commercial rights, thereby severely restricting Ferrero’s coaching autonomy.

Earlier disputes over the Netflix documentary “My Way” had already sown discord, with Molina’s handling deepening the rift. He was responsible for the film’s production and narrative, but the portrayal of Alcaraz displeased the family, while Ferrero objected to his depiction as a strict coach. Molina failed to mediate and instead intensified the divide. When trust between the family and Ferrero completely broke down, Molina firmly sided with the family, pushing the split through a hardline contract ultimatum. After the public announcement, he quickly took charge of selecting a new coach for Alcaraz, solidifying his central role within the team.

After seven years of climbing to the top together, Alcaraz and Ferrero parted ways due to commercial interests and team control conflicts. Their split reflects the inevitable consequences of professional tennis’s commercialization. While Molina’s role is controversial, he precisely fulfilled the family’s mission. What is most poignant behind this breakup is that the coach who raised the boy to greatness ultimately could not accompany him further. Whether Alcaraz will continue his success or Ferrero will nurture new talent, the impact of this separation will keep resonating in the tennis world.

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