Spain’s Ferrer says coaching change not due to personal problems

Spanish tennis star David Ferrer, the world No. 3, said in a statement released Monday that he parted ways with his longtime coach because it was time to move on and not because of any personal problems.

Ferrer said his personal relationship with coach Javier Piles “has been, is and will be very good.”

“After 15 years of much work, effort and sacrifice, my coach, Javier Piles, and I have decided that we have reached the end of this cycle and we believe that the best thing for both of us is to start new stages separately,” Ferrer said.

“This decision has not been made due to any personal or professional problems since our personal relationship has been, is and will be very good; but it is true that after 15 years, there has been much wear and tear for both of us, and we both need our space,” the 31yearold Ferrer said in the statement.

“We have made this decision thinking that it is the best for both of us,” the Spanish tennis star said.

Ferrer said the rest of his team going into the 2014 season would “continue to be the same as now.”

“Jose Francisco Altur, who will travel with me for 12 weeks, is joining (the team); the other weeks of competition I will travel with Rafael Garcia, my personal trainer, who will also serve as coach,” Ferrer said.

Altur, who played lefthanded as a professional, won the tournament in San Marino in 1989 as a qualifier and reached a careerhigh ranking of No. 88 on April 9, 1990.

Altur and Pancho Alvariño, former Spanish Fed Cup captain, own and run the Centro de Tenis Altur & Alvariño at Club Deportivo Saladar, where Ferrer, Igor Andreev, Anabel Medina, Marat Safin and Alex Calatrava, among other current and former pros, have trained.

“I want to thank Javier Piles for what he taught me and contributed over these 15 years. Without him, it would not have been possible to get here and achieve all the things that we have,” Ferrer said.

Ferrer won 20 individual titles while working with Piles and reached 22 other finals.

Ferrer is playing in the Dec. 2628 exhibition tournament in Dubai, where he will take on Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka on Dec. 26.