Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest tennis pro to complete the career Grand Slam after beating Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final on Sunday. After the win, the Spaniard spoke about the effect of his split with his longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
On Monday, a sleep-deprived Alcaraz arrived at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne for the customary champion’s photoshoot. After the photoshoot, Alcaraz gave an exclusive interview to El Mundo while sitting in his car, en route to the hotel and then to the airport to leave for Murcia, Spain.
Alcaraz answered multiple questions for the Spanish outlet, including one about the criticism he faced after splitting with former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, as he had previously mentioned in his championship speech, and how it affected him.
“As time goes by, I’ve become more aware of the power of words. Both a kind word and a harsh word can change a person’s mood. That’s why I always try to be very careful with what I say and how I say it,” Alcaraz said.
“Some of the negative things I read or heard affected me; I even had a few doubts. But I also want to say that the positive things filled me with pride and made me happy. Thank God there were more good things than bad,” he added.
Since his split with Ferrero in December 2025, Samuel Lopez has been Alcaraz’s head coach, having been with the group as Ferrero’s assistant since 2024. Before that, he had coached fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta for almost a decade.
Carlos Alcaraz Revealed Who Helps Him Remain Positive on And off the Court
The interview began with the journalist asking the 22-year-old how he aims to maintain a positive mindset when things are not going his way, and who the entities are that help him achieve that state of mind on and off the court.
“Off the court, there’s my family. My father, my uncle, my brother… they all travel with me, and I’m very lucky. But on the court, during tournaments, I have Samu [López]. Samu is someone who not only helps me professionally, improving my backhand and forehand, and pointing out tactical changes, but also calms me down when something is bothering me. That’s very important for giving my best on the court,” Alcaraz said.
While Alcaraz now enjoys some much-needed time off court, relishing his career Grand Slam honor, it remains to be seen where the World No. 1 will play next, with the first two Masters 1000 events of the ATP circuit scheduled to commence in March.
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