Before Jannik Sinner was about to face Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 Wimbledon, the stakes were higher than they appeared at face value. It was going to be his first title there, but win or lose, it also meant he had a bigger decision to make. You see, his coach Darren Cahill was contemplating retirement after the season. But the two made a bet the previous night that if Sinner wins, the latter will make the final decision.

With a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 sweep, the ball was in his court, literally. Obviously, Cahill had to stay. Fast forward to now, though, the coach isn’t giving his player a veto. Unsurprisingly, the speculated contender to replace him is not a complete stranger.

Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero recently revealed that he will return to coaching in 2027. While he revealed the type of resume he’s looking for, he didn’t mention any name, but putting two and two together didn’t take long for fans. But Ferrero has cleared up what that pairing, if it became a reality, would actually mean.

“The name should be more or less the same, even though, if it were Jannik, I know some people might think that,” said Ferrero in an interview with PuntoBreak. “People must respect my decision and, above all, understand that if I were to join Jannik’s team in the future, it would never be to bother Carlos.”

In mid-September, Ferrero announced his intention to return to coaching next year. Rumors of a possible Sinner-Ferrero link-up started when tennis journalist Gonzalo Ferreyra hinted at the possibility of it happening in one of his reports. And here’s why that case holds:

Before the duo parted ways in 2025, Ferrero had changed Alcaraz’s approach to the point that the latter called his coach his second father. That kind of respect is something that Sinner also holds for Cahill, putting him in another trustworthy company if the linkup happened. At the same time, impressed by the Italian’s work ethic, Ferrero had also expressed his willingness to take up the Sinner assignment for one specific qualifying reason he was looking for.

“No, not really. In the last interview I did, some things were taken out of context,” added Ferrero in the PuntoBreak interview. “If I didn’t say who I would come back with, it was because I had absolutely nothing. That’s how things are right now.

“Now, I would choose a player who is a little more developed, already more trained, and who doesn’t require being at 200% every day. I’m sure there will be opportunities, so I hope to come back strong.”

For now, neither Cahill nor Sinner have commented on their situation while the latter continues his recovery journey to return to the court. But the pairing could be an advantage for Carlos Alcaraz.

Is Ferrero-Sinner a realistic possibility if it gives Alcaraz an upper hand?

Seven years and 24 tour titles later, it is needless to say that Ferrero knows Alcaraz inside out. In fact, that could be an advantage for the Italian, if the two choose to team up. However, there’s one reason why he might not.

Ferrero would probably want Sinner to train in his tennis academy in Spain. To the world No. 1, however, it might be an inconvenience. Even if they do find a solution, it could give an advantage to Alcaraz because the latter would also know Ferrero’s coaching tendencies. The next natural question is: Why the upper hand to Alcaraz only?

Well, considering that Sinner would still be trying to return to his original form after time off from the injury, he would not be able to adapt to the new techniques Ferrero might want him to learn as a shield against Carlos Alcaraz. Hence, the latter gains the advantage.

For now, Rafael Jodar is also a favorite because he also fits the resume Ferrero is targeting. Meanwhile, as it always does, the whole Sinner-Alcaraz discussion ultimately led to one thing they certainly share on the court: rivalry. Ferrero wasn’t shy about sharing his opinion on that either.

Juan Carlos Ferrero gives his take on the Sincaraz rivalry

For a long time, Ferrero has observed the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry evolve. And to help the Spaniard improve over the Italian, he has also scouted everything on the current world No. 1. So, who better to ask the age-old question of “Who’s the better one?”

“You could give either one a chance,” said Ferrero. “They are two impressive players and it’s hard to choose. For the heart, I’d stay with Carlos, but for the numbers, we should stay with Jannik.”

While Sinner does have more titles compared to Alcaraz, the Spaniard has two more Slams than the Italian, having won all four. Consistency adds another layer.

The Italian has held the No. 1 ranking for 65 consecutive weeks, while Alcaraz’s total reign at the No. 1 ranking spans 66 weeks. And while the Italian swept the No. 1 rank from Alcaraz, the latter holds a 10-7 H2H lead. For now, it’ll be worth seeing whether Ferrero will switch sides and help Sinner close that gap.