Last year, Carlos Alcaraz sent shockwaves through the tennis world when he parted ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero. But almost immediately after the split, speculation erupted over who might take over, and Roger Federer’s name quickly rose to the top of the conversation.

Mats Wilander is among those who would love to see Federer in Alcaraz’s corner. The Swedish legend believes the Spaniard is entering a stage of his career where the right voice could push him to an entirely new level. After years under Ferrero’s guidance, Wilander feels Alcaraz’s next move should involve another Grand Slam champion with a very different tennis identity.

The 61-year-old has once again stirred debate by weighing in on Alcaraz’s future. “My first reaction was one of total surprise. If I’ve ever seen two people work better together than Carlos and Juan Carlos, I don’t know who they are,” Wilander said.

“They seemed perfect for each other, able to smile together and build a high-performance tennis game,” the former Swedish pro said. And high performance is exactly what they delivered. Six Grand Slam titles, two stints as world No. 1, and 24 career trophies – Carlos Alcaraz accomplished almost everything alongside Ferrero. Still, Wilander believes the split could open the door to positive change in Alcaraz’s game.?

According to Wilander, staying under the same stylistic influence for too long can eventually limit growth. That’s why he also doesn’t see someone like Andy Murray as the right next step. Instead, he believes Alcaraz would benefit more from a mentor who brings contrast, someone whose strengths lie in the very areas where Carlos is still sharpening his edge.

“”Well, I think that it will be really important to have a Grand Slam winner in your ear, but he’s already had Juan Carlos Ferrero,” Wilander said. “And I think that if you’re going to have another Grand Slam voice in your ear, I think that voice should come from a player that plays a different game.”

Wilander has brushed aside coaching options rooted in similar patterns and instead points toward figures who played a more fluid, attacking, instinctive style. Imagine the world No. 1 with an even more dangerous attacking package, backed by experience, authority, and true stylistic contrast. The Swiss legend’s ability to control points, sharpen net instincts, and simplify the game under pressure is exactly what Wilander feels could elevate Alcaraz even further.

“I think when you take Murray and you take Carlos Alcaraz, there is a similarity in the way they’re playing. But if you take a John McEnroe and a Carlos Alcaraz, suddenly you see a big change, ” Wilander added.

“Or if you take a Stefan Edberg and a Carlos Alcaraz, there’s a big difference. Or let’s put Roger Federer in there, for example. Now, you’re talking about someone that could really help Carlos Alcaraz with the game that he’s not that comfortable with.”

At the same time, Wilander doesn’t believe Ferrero’s absence will slow Alcaraz down. But that still leaves one big question hanging in the air. Is Roger Federer ready to coach Carlos Alcaraz now?

Why Carlos Alcaraz may wait for next mentor

For now, Roger Federer has made it clear he has no desire to return to tennis in a coaching role, not even for his own son.

“I’m not coaching my son. If they need me, I’m there. I love helping, and other kids too, but someone else should be in charge of the training. I see myself more as a general manager with Leo,” Federer said last year.

Because of that, Mats Wilander frames the idea of Federer coaching Carlos Alcaraz more as a perfect theoretical fit than something that’s about to happen.

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Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz has been practicing at the Australian Open alongside Samuel López. Together, they’re chasing what could be a historic breakthrough, the missing major that would move Carlos closer to tennis immortality. If he lifts the trophy, the 22-year-old would become the youngest player ever to complete a Career Grand Slam.

So far, Melbourne has been the one Grand Slam that hasn’t fully opened its doors to him. The Spaniard has never made it past the quarterfinals there, falling to an injured Novak Djokovic last year. But expectations are different now, as he arrives in Australia as world No. 1 and the second-youngest six-time major champion in history.