Juan Carlos Ferrero may soon be back on the tennis tour as a coach, if his own recent comments are anything to go by.

“I think I’m going to come back on the tennis tour, but I can’t say with whom,” Ferrero said recently. He has not coached anyone since parting ways with Carlos Alcaraz at the end of the 2026 season.

The Spaniard, who has also worked with Alexander Zverev, is widely viewed as the most prominent coaching free agent in the game right now. Speculation around his next move has naturally centered on a few leading names.

Rafael Jodar and Jannik Sinner have both been mentioned as possible options. Jodar has been working with his father since breaking through on the ATP Tour in 2026, while Sinner is currently coached by Darren Cahill, who could retire at the end of the year.

Former American world No 1 Steve Johnson, however, sees another candidate as an especially strong match. Speaking on Nothing Major, he said: “I’m thinking maybe Felix Auger-Aliassime. Could it could be Felix? Yes, he’s trying to get over the hump. That would be a guy.

“I feel like he [Ferrero] is going to kind of get his pick at this point,” added Johnson.

“I feel like he’s earned that, you know, to jump back in with whoever he wants because if you’re one of those guys, why wouldn’t you want Ferrero on your bag? I think it’s either Jodar or Felix. I’ll take Felix.”

Auger-Aliassime recently ended his long partnership with Frederic Fontang, who had coached him for the past decade. “After nearly ten years of working together, it has recently been decided that Wimbledon would be my last tournament with Frederic by my side as my coach,” said Auger-Aliassime on social media.

“Today, I want to express my deepest respect, gratitude, and admiration for his dedication and the passion he brought every single day to helping me achieve my goals.

“Since I was 16 years old, he has guided my development and helped me experience incredible moments through this sport. He has also been by my side during the toughest moments of my career.”

With no replacement yet named, Auger-Aliassime stands out as a leading candidate if Ferrero does decide to return. The Canadian remains one of the ATP Tour’s top players and is currently ranked world No 5, leaving Ferrero with an attractive project should the partnership come together.

Novak Djokovic’s career has long been defined by relentless preparation, and even in the later stages of his run on the ATP Tour, the results still reflect that standard. At 39, and in his 24th season on the circuit, he has already reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semi-final this year.

Fresh insight into how he maintains that level came from his physiotherapist, Carlos Costa, who spoke to A Bola, in comments translated by Jose Morgado. Costa, who has also worked with Ana Ivanovic, Tommy Haas, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, and Andrey Rublev, said Djokovic remains unlike anyone he has encountered.

“I have never seen anything like Novak Djokovic,” said Costa, who has also worked with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Tommy Haas, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, and Andrey Rublev.

“His vision, what he puts in every single day on the court, and his intensity. I had seen something similar before, but never with Djokovic’s consistency.”

Costa also described a player who pays close attention to every detail around his routine and recovery. He said Djokovic notices even small disruptions and goes so far as to test those around him to make sure the team is giving him the best possible support.

“He pays attention to every detail. The amount of time it takes us to give him his towel… if there is something that is not planned, there is friction,” continued Costa.

“He even goes as far as creating tests within the team to find out whether we are really looking for the best recovery strategies and providing the best treatments.

“For example, he asked us why Sinner does eye training and we didn’t. He is constantly looking for ways to be the best in the world.”

Djokovic’s recent record against Jannik Sinner has been difficult, but he did defeat the Italian in a five-set battle in the Australian Open semifinals. That remains his only win in the last seven meetings between the pair.

Another meeting could be on the horizon, with both players entered for the China Open, which begins on September 30th.

Alexander Zverev’s 2026 season has changed the long-running conversation around his career. By winning his first Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and the US Open, the German has moved from the category of nearly men into tennis’ elite. For years, he was discussed as one of the best players never to lift a major, but those arguments no longer carry the same force.

Even so, his success has not come without debate. Some have argued that Zverev benefited from the absences of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz withdrew from Roland Garros because of a wrist injury, while Sinner missed the US Open with a knee injury, and Zverev took advantage to claim both titles.

Mischa Zverev has now pushed back against that line of criticism, saying the injuries underline a broader issue. “Why weren’t they there? Because they were injured,” said Zverev in an interview with Sport1. “Why do we get injured? Because, in some way, you’re not strong enough, or because you’ve done too much. Because you didn’t rest when you needed to.”

He also pointed to his brother’s return from injury in the 2023 season as an example of what can be possible. “Some people said he would never return to the level he had before. And instead, he came back and played like this. The possibility exists, we’re working toward it, and we’ll see what lies ahead.

Mischa Zverev also addressed criticism of his brother’s ball bouncing at the US Open. “It’s like when you win a Grand Slam tournament and someone complains about the color of your socks,” joked Zverev. “When someone wins and succeeds, there will always be someone saying: ‘Personally, I don’t like this or that.’”

Zverev has already returned to competition, beating Matej Dodig and Dino Prizmic in straight sets at the Davis Cup as Germany defeated Croatia. His next stop is the Laver Cup, where he will represent Team Europe alongside Alcaraz, Jakub Mensik, Rafael Jodar, Flavio Cobolli, and Casper Ruud.

After that, he will move on to the ATP Tour’s Asian swing, beginning at the China Open in Beijing, an ATP 500 event. With a strong chance of rising to world No 1, the rest of his 2026 season may yet match the first nine months.