Men's tennis world number one Carlos Alcaraz announced on Wednesday he is splitting from his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven hugely successful years together, with assistant coach Samuel Lopez taking over.

Alcaraz has won six Grand Slams among his 24 tour level titles under the guidance of fellow Spaniard Ferrero, including this year's French and US Opens.

Alcaraz, 22, ends this year as world number one having claimed eight tournaments during the season including his dramatic victory over Jannik Sinner in Paris.

"It is very difficult to write this post," Alcaraz said on social media with photos of the pair hugging.

"We started this journey when I was barely a kid, and throughout all this time you've been by my side on an incredible ride, on and off the court," Alcaraz said.

He began working with 45-year-old Ferrero, a former world number one, in August 2018, when he was a teenager.

As a player, Ferrero won the 2003 French Open and was runner-up in New York later in the year before becoming a coach working alongside Alexander Zverev in 2017.

The Ferrero tennis academy said Lopez will step up to take over as coach.

"Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero go their separate ways, with Samuel Lopez continuing as head coach," the academy based in Alicante, Spain said on X.

Lopez, 55, took on his current role with Alcaraz in 2024. Ferrero and Lopez won the 2025 ATP coach of the year award, having also secured the title three years earlier. (AFP)