Alcaraz makes blunt remarks about former coach ahead of Indian Wells 2026 debut

Carlos Alcaraz is set to compete against Terence Atmane or Grigor Dimitrov in his first match at this year's Indian Wells.

Ahead of the 2026 Indian Wells ATP 1000 tournament, world number one Carlos Alcaraz openly shared his feelings about competing without his long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in his team.

In an interview with Eurosport, Alcaraz admitted that Ferrero's absence makes things different, especially when returning to familiar tournaments like Indian Wells. However, the Spanish player stated he is actively adapting with his current team.

"I think that's how it is. Obviously, I can't say this is a completely new team. Most of the members are still there; we just restructured a bit. Everyone is the same, just missing one person.", Alcaraz shared.

Although the split with Ferrero drew significant attention in the tennis world, Alcaraz does not seem overly affected professionally. On the contrary, the 22-year-old player is having a highly impressive start to the 2026 season.

Carlitos has participated in two tournaments since the start of the year and won both titles. The Australian Open victory made him the youngest player to complete a Career Grand Slam, and he then went on to win the Qatar Open.

Recently, Juan Carlos Ferrero expressed a desire to meet his former pupil to talk and normalize the situation. This indicates that there remains a significant amount of mutual respect between them.

Currently, Alcaraz is considered a top contender for the Indian Wells title, a tournament he has won twice consecutively. If he maintains his early-season form, the Spanish player could very well have one of the best seasons of his career, especially as his main rival Jannik Sinner is showing signs of a dip in form.