Alcaraz unfollowed by 'that person' on Instagram

Carlos Alcaraz has recently faced criticism for comments perceived as "ungrateful" following his 2026 Australian Open victory.

Juan Carlos Ferrero's reaction to Carlos Alcaraz's historic achievement at the 2026 Australian Open has unexpectedly become a hot topic in the international tennis community, as signs of a rift in their previously close coach-player relationship have gradually emerged.

A few days after Alcaraz claimed the Melbourne title and completed his Career Grand Slam at age 22, fans noticed that Juan Carlos Ferrero — his former coach — quietly unfollowed Alcaraz and his team on Instagram. Although just a social media action, this move quickly drew attention and sparked widespread speculation within the tennis world.

Ferrero had been closely involved with Alcaraz for over seven years, playing a crucial role in transforming the young Spanish talent into the world’s top-ranked player and winner of six Grand Slam titles. They parted ways in December last year — right after a brilliant season, much to the surprise of experts. At that time, their split was believed to be amicable, with no public statements indicating any conflict.

However, Ferrero’s recent action has led many to believe that underlying tensions may have existed for some time. Notably, Alcaraz entered the Australian Open without Ferrero on his coaching team and faced doubts about his form. The Spanish player responded impressively by winning seven consecutive matches in Melbourne, defeating several top opponents to complete his Career Grand Slam and cement his status as the new generation’s icon.

Recently, Carlos Alcaraz was also criticized by Toni Nadal — Rafael Nadal’s uncle for failing to mention Juan Carlos Ferrero in his speech at the 2026 Australian Open closing ceremony.

"Praising the current coach is good, but you also have to remember the other person. I don’t know how the relationship between Alcaraz and Ferrero ended, but hearing those words made me feel uncomfortable.", Toni Nadal added."Samuel Lopez has certainly done very well over the past two months, but Alcaraz cannot forget Ferrero’s contributions over many years."

Toni Nadal also drew a comparison from his own family:"I wouldn’t like it if right after Rafa left, he said similar things about Carlos Moya."