Carlos Alcaraz is splitting up with the former French Open champion who has coached him since he was 15 years old.

The six-time Grand Slam winner stunned the tennis world on Wednesday, Dec. 17, announcing on social media he is ending a seven-year partnership with fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero. Alcaraz, 22, became the youngest player to reach No. 1 in the ATP rankings when he won his first U.S. Open in 2022 with Ferrero alongside him as he quickly became a force in men's tennis. They most recently won the U.S. Open again in September.

Alcaraz finished with a career-best eight titles and 71 wins in 2025 and he is currently ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings despite losing to No. 2 Janik Sinner at the ATP Finals last month in Saudi Arabia. Alcaraz also won two French Open titles and two Wimbledon titles under Ferrero.

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"After more than seven years together, Juanki and I have decided to bring our chapter together as coach and player to an end," Alcaraz wrote in a post translated from Spanish to English, referring to Ferrero by his nickname. "Thank you for turning childhood dreams into reality. We started this journey when I was barely a kid, and throughout all this time you've accompanied me on an incredible journey, on and off the court. And I've enjoyed every step of it so much with you."

Though Alcaraz indicated the split was a mutual parting, Ferrero put out his own statement on social media addressing the situation that read, in part, "I wish I could have continued. I am convinced that good memories and good people always find a way to cross paths again.

"We have been an incredible team despite the difficulties," wrote Ferrero, a former world No. 1 from Spain, "and I am sure you will continue to achieve great success."

Es muy difícil para mí escribir este post… Tras más de siete años juntos, Juanki y yo hemos decidido poner fin a nuestra etapa juntos como entrenador y jugador.

Gracias por haber hecho de sueños de niño, realidades. Empezamos este camino cuando apenas era un chaval, y durante… pic.twitter.com/D4GSxYsZUY

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) December 17, 2025

Neither Alcaraz nor Ferrero mentioned a specific reason or event that led to their decision to move on from their decorated run. Last year, Alcaraz hired Samuel Lopez to coach alongside Ferrero.

"I sincerely wish you all the best in everything that comes your way," Alcaraz wrote. "I'm comforted by the knowledge that we gave our all, that we offered everything to each other. Thank you for everything, Juanki!"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carlos Alcaraz splits with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in stunning move

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz stunned the tennis world Wednesday morning by revealing he's parting ways with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. The pair won six Grand Slam titles together over an impressive seven-year run.

In an Instagram post announcing the move, Alcaraz reflected warmly on their past while acknowledging their futures may not necessarily align.

"Thank you for making my childhood dreams a reality," Alcaraz's post read, per a translation. "We started this journey when I was just a kid, and throughout this time you've accompanied me on an incredible journey, both on and off the court. And I've enjoyed every single step with you immensely. We managed to reach the top, and I feel that if our paths in sports had to diverge, it should be from there, from the place we always worked towards and always aspired to reach."

Alcaraz says Ferrero helped him grow not just as an athlete but as a person, and that he'll cherish the journey they've shared regardless of what lies ahead.

"Now, times of change are ahead for both of us, new adventures and new projects," Alcaraz, 22, added. "But I'm certain that we will face them in the right way, giving our best, as we always have. Always contributing positively. I sincerely wish you all the best in everything that comes your way. I have the peace of mind knowing that we left nothing unsaid, that we gave everything we had to each other."

Alcaraz declined to share the exact reason why he and Ferrero have split, but he noted in his post that it was a mutual decision.

It's a sudden end to a relationship that began in 2018 when Alcaraz, then 15, joined Ferrero's tennis academy in Spain. Alcaraz quickly rose to stardom as he won his first Grand Slam title and reached world No. 1 by 2022. They'd go on to win another five Grand Slam titles together.

Some signs of disagreement between Alcaraz and Ferrero came in the Netflix docuseries Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, particularly regarding the attempt to find a balance between championship-level training and a healthy life outside of tennis. Alcaraz also spoke of a 2024 forearm injury he says his team deemed manageable pain as opposed to something more dangerous.

In a follow-up statement to Alcaraz's announcement, Ferrero admitted it's a "difficult day" but expressed thanks for their time together. One section, however, put into question whether the split was actually mutual.

"We have been an incredible team despite the difficulties, and I am sure you will continue to achieve great success," Ferrero wrote. "I wish I could have continued. I am convinced that good memories and good people always find a way to cross paths again."

Oh, the drama.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why did Carlos Alcaraz fire longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero?

Carlos Alcaraz has announced a shock split with his long-time coach, the former World No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Alcaraz has won all six of his grand slam titles under the guidance of his fellow Spaniard and risen to World No 1, with their partnership beginning when Alcaraz was just 16.

Ferrero, who won the 2003 French Open as a player, shared coaching responsibilities with Samuel Lopez this past season and prioritised the grand slam events, where Alcaraz won Roland Garros and the US Open while beating rival Jannik Sinner to the year-end No 1 for the first time.

But in a heartfelt statement, Alcaraz announced that he and Ferrero will part ways ahead of 2026, where Alcaraz will attempt to complete the career grand slam at the Australian Open in January.

“It's very difficult for me to write this post... After more than seven years together, Juanki and I have decided to end our time together as coach and player. Thank you for turning my childhood dreams into reality,” Alcaraz said.

“We started this journey when I was just a kid, and throughout this time you've accompanied me on an incredible trip, both on and off the court. I've thoroughly enjoyed every step of the way with you.

“We reached the top, and I feel that if our sporting paths had to diverge, it should be from up there. From the place we always worked towards and always aspired to reach.

“So many memories are flooding back that choosing just one wouldn't be fair. You've helped me grow as an athlete, but above all, as a person. And something I value immensely: I've enjoyed the process. I'll hold on to that, to the journey we've shared.

“Now, times of change are coming for both of us, new adventures and new projects. But I'm certain that we'll face them in the right way, giving our best, as we always have. Always adding value.

“I sincerely wish you all the best in everything that comes your way. I'm comforted by the knowledge that we gave our all, that we put everything at each other's disposal. Thank you for everything, Juanki!”

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Azərbaycan stolüstü tennisçisi Xədicə Babazadə Avropa Stolüstü Tennis Birliyinin təşkil etdiyi “ETTU Eurotalents Selection camp” toplanışında iştirak edəcək.

Bu barədə Komanda.az-a Azərbaycan Stolüstü Tennis Federasiyasından məlumat verilib.

İdmançı milli komandanın məşqçisi Səbinə Əzizlinin müşayiəti ilə Xorvatiyaya yola düşüb. Vrsar şəhərində təşkil olunacaq təlim-məşq toplanışında qitənin ən istedadlı stolüstü tennisçiləri təcrübəli mütəxəssislərin rəhbərliyi altında fiziki, texniki və taktiki hazırlıq keçəcəklər.

Beynəlxalq təlim-məşq toplanışına dekabrın 23-də yekun vurulacaq.

“ETTU Eurotalents Development Camp” layihəyəsi xüsusi istedadı və davamlı nəticələri ilə seçilən yeniyetmə stolüstü tennisçilərin hazırlığını təkmilləşdirmək məqsədi daşıyır.

The post Azərbaycanlı stolüstü tennisçi beynəlxalq toplanışda iştirak edəcək appeared first on Komanda.az.

Garbiñe Muguruza’s life was always going to get pretty busy in 2026. Her first child is due at the end of January. But Muguruza, who formally retired from tennis in 2024, and later that year became both a television commentator and the tournament director for the WTA Tour Finals, does not appear inclined toward the easy life.

Last week, the two-time Grand Slam champion who spent four weeks as world No. 1 was named the co-tournament director of the Madrid Open. The clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital is one of six flagship mixed events at the 1,000 level, just below the Grand Slams.

The assignment to oversee the tournament alongside her compatriot Feliciano López carries a good bit of responsibility for a former women’s world No. 1. For years, the Madrid Open had a well-earned reputation for treating women as second-class tennis players.

Its former owner, the Romanian billionaire and former player Ion Țiriac, long argued to revoke paying equal prize money. WTA Tour players complained that they received worse court assignments and scheduling compared with their male counterparts.

Sports conglomerate IMG purchased the tournament from Țiriac in 2022, but ugly moments continued. That year, organizers scheduled the women’s singles final between the men’s semifinals; in 2023, they prohibited the women’s doubles finalists from speaking during the trophy ceremony.

The players, Victoria Azarenka, Beatriz Haddad-Maia, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, all called the decision unacceptable. The disparity in the size of birthday cakes given to Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka also came under fire.

In the same week as the announcement of her new role, Muguruza told El Partizado de Cope in an interview that a male junior player would have beaten her when she was top of the women’s rankings. “It’s more of a show — it has nothing to do with the Battle of the Sexes,” she said of current WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s upcoming match with Nick Kyrgios.

Gerard Tsobanian, the chief executive of the Madrid Open, said Muguruza’s appointment was not a symbolic gesture.

“We strongly believe that leadership in tennis should be built from diverse, complimentary perspectives with equal voice and influence,” he said in a statement announcing Muguruza’s appointment. “We don’t just talk about equality, we design it, we implement it and we make it visible.”

In a message Monday, Muguruza did not offer qualms about the tournament’s past.

“The Madrid Open has always been eager to be ahead, to make a step forward, to be a bit of a pioneer,” she said. “I think it’s a great idea to share the workload and provide the best service to both ATP and WTA players.

She said she recognizes it will be a significant step up from the WTA Tour Finals, with far more players to care for, but the role is especially close to her heart because it is the most significant women’s tournament in Spain. She has warm memories of that rare feeling in tennis: the entire stadium being behind her.

“It was stressful but beautiful,” she said.

The role marks the 32-year-old’s latest move in her pivot from on-court to off-court figurehead. That pivot came far earlier than it has for a lot of players of her renown, as more and more play into and through their 30s, or return to the top level of the sport after having children.

Muguruza didn’t figure it would happen this soon. Just a couple of years ago, she was at the top of the sport, seemingly with many years of competition ahead of her. Having beaten Serena Williams to win the 2016 French Open, she beat Venus Williams to win Wimbledon a year later. Her quality dipped for two seasons, but she started 2020 strong, reaching the final of the Australian Open against Sofia Kenin.

Then the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, and Muguruza, like everyone else, spent six months off the grind of the tennis tour. She took a bit to hit her stride again when tennis resumed, but 2021 brought another solid season. She made four finals, won two of them and then walked off with the WTA Tour Finals title in Guadalajara, Mexico.

For Muguruza, who grew up mainly in Spain but was born in Venezuela, playing in Mexico in front of screaming crowds was pure joy. But almost instantly, everything changed. She had experienced drop-offs following her biggest triumphs before, but this one was a little different. “An empty feeling a little bit,” she said during an interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of this year’s Tour Finals.

“It was massive for me to have that opportunity,” she said. “I felt before the tournament, ‘This is mine, it has to be for me.’ But after that event, I definitely felt a drop in energy and a tiny bit of motivation.”

She started to wonder if it was a blip or a red flag. She started to wonder if her mind was telling her to think about what would come after tennis. As losses and early-round exits piled up in 2022, the answer made itself clear. She started to long for what tennis felt like it was keeping from her, especially the budding relationship that would blossom from a chance meeting with a fan during a walk through midtown Manhattan into a marriage.

“That year I was mentally a little bit more exhausted, and not only that, but I started to look forward to being more at home and being more with my family and with my husband,” she said.

“I started to prioritize more my personal than professional life.”

She played four matches at the start of 2023. She lost all of them, and never played again, before formally announcing her retirement in 2024.

In retrospect, she can see how the sport had changed and how that change had gone against her. There was more power, more speed and more movement than when she broke through, with the time to construct points growing shorter.

“You need to be ready for those quick rallies, for those big serves and two, three shots,” she said. “Before, maybe points were a little longer. But again, it depends. Coco Gauff has a different style than Elena Rybakina.”

Who is the next star from Spain, one of the proudest tennis nations and among the most successful of the new century? She said she is keeping a close eye on Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro, the 23-year-old who Muguruza said might be on the verge of a breakout.

“I think something amazing is going to happen soon because she has the level. She’s gotten deep into tournaments but not yet got a trophy. I feel like we can see something exciting next year.”

She has also become friendly with Alcaraz, the men’s world No. 1 and the biggest Spanish tennis hero now. She sought him out when he first arrived on the tour. She said he hasn’t changed at all.

She will take a break from all that for a little while around the birth of her child. Before long though, it will be time to go back to work. The Madrid Open begins April 20 for the players, and for her a good deal sooner. Then comes the WTA Tour Finals in Riyadh next November, its last edition there under the extant deal with the country. WTA Tour chief executive Portia Archer has said she wants to extend it, despite heavy criticism for the country’s human rights record, and for taking the flagship event in women’s tennis to a relatively immature tennis nation.

“As a player you don’t really know what happens behind or outside the tennis court,” Muguruza said. “I’m much more aware now. So many things, but it’s great. I’m really loving this new chapter and this whole new career now.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia didn’t win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, but he enters the final two weeks of 2025 as the leading contender for sports apology of the year.

Congrats, Diego. Your journey from inspiring college football legend to nationally known jerk will be talked about for years.

This was another banner year for sports figures apologizing for stupid things they said or did, or tweeted or Instagrammed.

Oblivious sports figures come in all genders, and all shapes, forms and sizes. Pro golfers, WNBA stars, tennis players, football players and many others were forced to atone for their misdeeds, whether they felt remorse or were advised by someone with public relations expertise. Even ESPN’s Pat McAfee apologized for spreading a false rumor about a college student that she said “ruined” her life. Do you believe in miracles?

Yet Pavia managed to swoop in over the weekend to leave his apologist peers in the dust. After losing out to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza for the prestigious award, he posted an Instagram story photo of himself and his offensive linemates with the caption “F− all the voters,” adding a thumbs-down emoji.

He was also featured in a video at a post-Heisman celebration, giving the finger to a sign that read “F−−− Indiana” while partying. The obvious target was Mendoza, a humble and talented young man who gave credit to Pavia and the other Heisman contenders during his acceptance speech.

But if that wasn’t enough to seal the deal, Pavia retweeted former sports talk troll Skip Bayless, a Vanderbilt alum, who wrote that Pavia deserved the Heisman but didn’t get it, suggesting “his swagger and edge rubbed some voters the wrong way.”

Naturally, by the time Pavia woke up Sunday and checked his phone, he quickly became aware his reputation as a gritty, likeable underdog who made Vanderbilt into a football power had evaporated into thin air. He was suddenly viewed as the arrogant, condescending and inconsiderate punk who tried to tarnish Mendoza’s Heisman by declaring himself the rightful winner.

It was reminiscent of Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards by getting up on stage to tell Swift that Beyoncé deserved it, except without interrupting Mendoza’s acceptance speech and saying “Imma let you finish.”

Pavia was already suspect when it came to his NFL draft prospects due to genetics — he’s a 5-foot-10 quarterback who was listed at 6-0 by his school. But the debate over whether he’d be picked on the second or third day of the draft was suddenly muted by the realization that no NFL general manager in his right mind would select such a classless and clueless player for such an important position.

Pavia, or someone he knows with an actual working brain, immediately tried to rectify the situation with a belated apology posted on his X account about his “disrespectful” behavior. He called Mendoza a “deserving” winner and blamed his reaction on his fiery competitiveness.

“As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win,” the post read. “To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Nice try, but too late. Pavia, who has previously apologized for actions such as urinating on an opponent’s practice field in 2023, was toasted on social media and all over the internet. He has one more game — on Dec. 31 against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl — to rescue his reputation from the dumpster fire he lit Saturday night. Good luck with that.

Pavia has some strong competition for the 2025 Sports Apology of the Year, and we’re still waiting on apologies from former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, the ball-stealing fan known as “Phillies Karen” and a few other knuckleheads.

This seems to be the Golden Age of Stupidity, fueled by the ability to advertise your own misdeeds with a few clicks on your phone.

A close second to Pavia might be serial apologist and PGA star Wyndham Clark, who first apologized this year for launching his driver with both hands into a sponsor wall following a bad tee shot during the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. “My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on,” Clark posted on social media.

He then “worked” on it by destroying some lockers at historic Oakmont after missing the cut at the U.S. Open. Clark later said he was “very sorry” for making “a mistake that I deeply regret.” He now wanted to just “move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA.”

Moving on is always the best course of action for those who lack self-awareness.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese wanted to move on after telling Chicago Tribune reporter Julia Poe that she was not “settling for the same s−−−” next year, adding “we have to get great players,” including someone younger than teammate Courtney Vandersloot. “We can’t rely on Courtney to come back at the age that she’s at,” Reese said.

After throwing Vandersloot and her teammates under the bus, Reese apologized to them and said her comments were “misconstrued.” Reese sounded thrilled last week when announcing she’d be back in ’26. “I’m under contract so, yes, I plan on returning to the Sky,” she said.

Finding blame elsewhere is a thematic motif for those in the apology business.

Latvian tennis star Jelena Ostapenko told American Taylor Townsend she had “no class” and “no education” after a dispute over a net cord at the U.S. Open. She later apologized by writing on Instagram that English was not her native language, and that she actually was referring to “what I believe as tennis etiquette” when telling Townsend, a Black player, she had “no education.”

“But I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court,” Ostapenko added.

PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. apologized in a letter for American fans chanting “F−−− you, Rory” to Irish golfer Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup, but only after creating an outcry by telling the BBC, “Heck you could go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things.”

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson apologized for telling analyst Richard Sherman the Falcons were playing a game that resembled one from his youth, referred to with a name containing a homophobic slur. When he became aware the language was inappropriate, Robinson posted that the “insensitive” term was from “a football game we used to play as a kid but that’s not an excuse.”

If there were a separate category for 2025 Spitting Apology of the Year, we’d have numerous candidates from the sport of football, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter, Florida’s Brendan Bett, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase and two Colorado State players who spat on opponents in the same game.

Chase even denied he had spit on Pittsburgh’s Jalen Ramsey despite video evidence proving the loogie was in fact his. After being handed a one-game suspension, Chase apologized on Instagram for both the spitting and the lying, writing “as someone who strives to lead with character and authenticity, I should’ve taken immediate accountability for what happened.”

Inter Miami soccer player Luis Suárez apologized for spitting on someone from the Seattle Sounders’ staff after a loss in the Leagues Cup final. He posted on social media that there was “still a lot of season left ahead and we will work together to try and get the triumphs that this club and its fans deserve.”

Then he finished by writing: “A hug to all.”

Every sports figure’s apology should end with a big hug to all, from the bottom of their publicist’s heart.

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