Since their split last December, Alcaraz has continued to enjoy success. He won the Australian Open in January, becoming the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam. Ferrero also watched Alcaraz form an exciting rivalry with Jannik Sinner, who has five Grand Slam titles to the Spaniard’s seven. And he believes they are already filling the void left behind by the Big Three – and could even surpass their records.

“Right now, we're seeing it with Carlos and Jannik, and I don't think it's that difficult,” Ferrero told Eurosport Spain when asked whether it would be difficult to see a repeat of the Big Three era. And he also thinks other players are beginning to challenge those two.

“I think we're seeing a rivalry that we've already seen with one other player. Well, hopefully [Alexander] Zverev, or those close to him, whether they're ranked fourth or fifth, will raise their level and we can see a bit more competition among the Grand Slams. But it's difficult to predict that.

“I think what Rafa, Roger, and Novak have achieved... It's really hard to imagine someone winning so many Grand Slams in this day and age. But well, both Jannik and Carlos are getting there little by little. They're winning one or two Grand Slams each year. And well, for now, they're showing that they're on the right track.”

Zverev – another one of Ferrero’s old pupils – has capitalised on their absence. The German lifted his first two Major titles this year at Roland Garros and the US Open, and will soon rise to No. 1 in the world as Sinner’s ranking points from 2025 drop off.

“Perhaps his level and development had stagnated a bit over the last three or four years. But in the last year and a half, I think he's realised this and has really been trying to improve.

“It just so happens that neither Carlos nor Jannik have been there. He's taken advantage of the opportunity. But I think that now, having seized that opportunity, he's going to be mentally stronger to try and compete on equal terms with them.”