In the aftermath of Carlos Alcaraz's unexpected split with Juan Carlos Ferrero, many have left shocked.
Gilles Cervara offered a deeper perspective, reframing the decision asa calculated step forward.
The long-term coach of Daniil Medvedev sees itnot as a rupture, but as another move in the elite evolution of the ultimate champion. At the highest level of the sport, progress rarely comes from dramatic overhauls.
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Instead, what shapes it are constant micro-adjustments, mental simulation and the ability to recognize when familiarity begins to limit growth. That's not easy to process in the case of Alcaraz and Ferrero after a brilliant season, but Gilles continues.
According to his philosophy, champions develop an instinct for sensing when they need something different to keep moving forward. That's something that must be amust-have even when results remain strong.
To remind, Alcaraz wrapped up the 2025 campaign at the top, winning two Major titles and embracing a brilliant streak between April and October, the most productive one of his career.
However, he will have to seek new goals without Ferrero in his box for the first time in more than seven years. Per Cervara, even the most successful partnerships risk becoming predictable.
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For players operating at the margins of excellence, freshness becomes as valuable as trust. Carlos will already be seeking exactly that in Melbourne, with or without someone alongside Samuel Lopez.
Cervara insists that chance is most effective when anticipated and not forced by decline. At the highest level, improvement is the accumulation of tiny details. As always, they demand constant questioning.
The decision made by Alcaraz's team will be answered by time. Looking through Gilles' lens, change is not a rejection of success but a mechanism that sustains it.
For now, the 22-year-old will work with Samuel Lopez, another trusted face in his box. There's enough time to bring in ahigh-profile name to the coaching staff ahead of the Australian Open.
The El Palmar native will seek history in Melbourne, trying to complete all four Major titles and become a proud owner of a Career Grand Slam at 22.
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"I have noticed that these kinds of champions are able to sense when they need something different, or more, to keep progressing, and if that's the case, it's very smart for Carlos to keep improving.
I believe, whether it's the player or the coach - and this is what I experienced with Daniil - that at some point, it's important to be able to anticipate it in advance so it's not too late and to ensure the change is made for the right reasons, to keep progressing.
Now, only time will tell if this decision is the right one. Seven years is a very long time. Beyond three, it starts to feel like a long time, and it's important to stay fresh, to always find ways to improve, to challenge yourself.
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Even at the highest level, even on a winning team, it's important because the highest level is precisely the sum of small details, and the only way to improve is to constantly challenge yourself.
As a coach, you are constantly looking for a balance between what you know will work with a particular player, because you know them perfectly, and the search for new approaches.
And sometimes, that's no longer enough because the player feels they need a change of pace. From the outside, change is often feared, but from the inside, it can be necessary.
Nobody is truly inside the team's mind, so it's impossible to talk about it without knowing the facts. Change is not necessarily bad; it brings new things," Gilles Cervara said.
