Former world No. 1 Ferrero had guided Alcaraz since he was 15, but the pair announced last month that they had parted ways.<\/p>\n
Ferrero blamed a contractual dispute — with Alcaraz now coached solely by Samuel L\u00f3pez, who had been the No. 2.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz refused to go into details at his first news conference of the new season ahead of the Australian Open, commenting: “With Juan Carlos, we decide to do it.<\/p>\n
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“I’m just having plenty of confidence in the team that I have right now. The practices have gone really well. I’m just feeling well. So I’m just excited about the tournament to begin with the team that I have right now.<\/p>\n
“I’ve got to say that I’m really grateful for this seven years I’ve been with Juan Carlos. I learned a lot. Probably thanks to him I’m the player that I am right now.<\/p>\n
“But internally we decided like this. We closed this chapter in mutual [ways]. We both are still friends, good relationship.<\/p>\n
“I have the same team that I had last year. Just one member missing. So we didn’t change the routine at all. We just going through the preseason and the season in the same way, probably with the improvement that I really want to do.”<\/p>\n
The split means there will be extra scrutiny on how Alcaraz performs at Melbourne Park, where he has yet to make it beyond the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Should the 22-year-old claim the title, he would become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam of all four major crowns.<\/p>\n
“I think this is my main goal for this year,” Alcaraz said. “I’m just hungry for the title, hungry to do a really good result here.”<\/p>\n