In 2011, Ferrero withdrew from the Heineken Open and Australian Open.
As the defending champion, he withdrew from the Brasil Open and Copa Claro.
He also withdrew from the Abierto Mexicano, Indian Wells, Miami Masters, and Monte Carlo Masters as the recovery from his wrist and knee surgery took longer than expected.
He made his return at the Barcelona Open, where he defeated Xavier Malisse, 6–4, 6–1, Mischa Zverev, 6–4, 7–5, and Simone Vagnozzi, 7–6, 4–6, 6–4, but lost in the quarterfinals to Nicolás Almagro, 3–6, 3–6.
His next tournament was the Madrid Open, where he lost in the first round to Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker, 6–2, 5–7, 4–6, after which he indicated that the end of tennis career might be near.
He missed the Rome Masters, French Open, and Wimbledon due to same injury.
His ranking dropped to No.
85.
He returned to competition at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart.
There, he defeated Bastian Knittel, Mikhail Youzhny, Marcel Granollers, Federico Delbonis and in the final countryman Pablo Andújar, 6–4, 6–0, to capture the Stuttgart title.
Right after this win he went to the German Open Hamburg, where he lost in the first round to Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, 3–6, 2–6.
As the defending champion, he reached the semifinals of the Croatia Open losing to eventual champion Alexandr Dolgopolov 4–6, 4–6.
At the Rogers Cup, he lost to Ernests Gulbis, 6–3, 1–6, 5–7 and at the Cincinnati Masters to Feliciano López 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 both in the first round.

Ferrero's next tournament was the US Open, where he defeated Pablo Andújar in the first round, 1–6, 7–5, 5–7, 6–1, 6–3.
In the second round, he defeated Frenchman Gaël Monfils in an electrifying five-set match, 7–6, 5–7, 6–7, 6–4, 6–4.
His next opponent was Spain's Marcel Granollers, who retired in the second set; at the time of Granollers' retirement, Ferrero led the match 6–1, 4–3.
In the fourth round, Ferrero lost to Janko Tipsarević, 5–7, 7–6, 5–7, 2–6.
His next tournament was the 2011 China Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
He then played at the Shanghai Masters reaching the third round, falling to good friend David Ferrer 6–1, 5–7, 2–6 after having wasted three match points in the second set.
His next tour stop was the Valencia Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Argentine player Juan Mónaco 3–6, 3–6.
The final tournament of the year was the Paris Masters, where he lost in the first round to Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 2–6, 3–6.

Ferrero began his 2012 season with a 3–6, 2–6 loss to Frenchmen Benoît Paire in Sydney.
His next tournament was the 2012 Australian Open, where he made an early exit in the first round to Serbian Viktor Troicki after a hard-fought five-set match, 6–4, 7–6, 2–6, 6–7, 2–6 in which he failed to convert a match point in the fourth set.
After the match, Ferrero was fined $1,500 by the organization of the Australian Open for "audible obscenities" during the match.
Ferrero represented Spain in the Davis Cup vs. Kazakhstan defeating Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets in the first tie.
He then played a disappointing Golden Swing in Latin America losing three times in his opening matches.
At the Brasil Open he lost to Leonardo Mayer 6–7, 2–6 at the Copa Claro he lost to Kei Nishikori 5–7, 6–3, 2–6.
For last, at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel to Stanislas Wawrinka 6–2, 3–6, 4–6.
He then missed 3 months due to a wrist injury.
Ferrero returned at the Mutua Madrid Open losing in the first round to qualifier Igor Andreev 4–6, 6–7,.
His next tournament was the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.
In the first round, Ferrero beat Kevin Anderson 6–4, 7–5; recording his 2nd win in the year.
In the second round, he beat Frenchman and 13th seed Gaël Monfils 7–5, 6–3.
However, in the third round, he fell to Roger Federer in 3 sets: 2–6, 7–5, 1–6.
After Rome, Ferrero played at Open de Nice Côte d'Azur.
In the first round, he beat Dutch Robin Haase after saving a match point 4–6, 7–6, 7–6.
In the second round, he fell to Brazilian qualifying Thomaz Bellucci in straight sets 4–6, 3–6.
In Roland Garros, his next tournament, Juan won the first match against the French
In 2011, Ferrero withdrew from the Heineken Open and Australian Open. As the defending champion, he withdrew from the Brasil Open and Copa Claro. He also withdrew from the Abierto Mexicano, Indian Wells, Miami Masters, and Monte Carlo Masters as the recovery from his wrist and knee surgery took longer than expected. He made his return at the Barcelona Open, where he defeated Xavier Malisse, 6–4, 6–1, Mischa Zverev, 6–4, 7–5, and Simone Vagnozzi, 7–6, 4–6, 6–4, but lost in the quarterfinals to Nicolás Almagro, 3–6, 3–6. His next tournament was the Madrid Open, where he lost in the first round to Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker, 6–2, 5–7, 4–6, after which he indicated that the end of tennis career might be near. He missed the Rome Masters, French Open, and Wimbledon due to same injury. His ranking dropped to No. 85. He returned to competition at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart. There, he defeated Bastian Knittel, Mikhail Youzhny, Marcel Granollers, Federico Delbonis and in the final countryman Pablo Andújar, 6–4, 6–0, to capture the Stuttgart title. Right after this win he went to the German Open Hamburg, where he lost in the first round to Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, 3–6, 2–6. As the defending champion, he reached the semifinals of the Croatia Open losing to eventual champion Alexandr Dolgopolov 4–6, 4–6. At the Rogers Cup, he lost to Ernests Gulbis, 6–3, 1–6, 5–7 and at the Cincinnati Masters to Feliciano López 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 both in the first round.
Ferrero's next tournament was the US Open, where he defeated Pablo Andújar in the first round, 1–6, 7–5, 5–7, 6–1, 6–3. In the second round, he defeated Frenchman Gaël Monfils in an electrifying five-set match, 7–6, 5–7, 6–7, 6–4, 6–4. His next opponent was Spain's Marcel Granollers, who retired in the second set; at the time of Granollers' retirement, Ferrero led the match 6–1, 4–3. In the fourth round, Ferrero lost to Janko Tipsarević, 5–7, 7–6, 5–7, 2–6. His next tournament was the 2011 China Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He then played at the Shanghai Masters reaching the third round, falling to good friend David Ferrer 6–1, 5–7, 2–6 after having wasted three match points in the second set. His next tour stop was the Valencia Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Argentine player Juan Mónaco 3–6, 3–6. The final tournament of the year was the Paris Masters, where he lost in the first round to Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 2–6, 3–6.
Ferrero began his 2012 season with a 3–6, 2–6 loss to Frenchmen Benoît Paire in Sydney. His next tournament was the 2012 Australian Open, where he made an early exit in the first round to Serbian Viktor Troicki after a hard-fought five-set match, 6–4, 7–6, 2–6, 6–7, 2–6 in which he failed to convert a match point in the fourth set. After the match, Ferrero was fined $1,500 by the organization of the Australian Open for "audible obscenities" during the match. Ferrero represented Spain in the Davis Cup vs. Kazakhstan defeating Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets in the first tie. He then played a disappointing Golden Swing in Latin America losing three times in his opening matches. At the Brasil Open he lost to Leonardo Mayer 6–7, 2–6 at the Copa Claro he lost to Kei Nishikori 5–7, 6–3, 2–6. For last, at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel to Stanislas Wawrinka 6–2, 3–6, 4–6. He then missed 3 months due to a wrist injury. Ferrero returned at the Mutua Madrid Open losing in the first round to qualifier Igor Andreev 4–6, 6–7,. His next tournament was the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. In the first round, Ferrero beat Kevin Anderson 6–4, 7–5; recording his 2nd win in the year. In the second round, he beat Frenchman and 13th seed Gaël Monfils 7–5, 6–3. However, in the third round, he fell to Roger Federer in 3 sets: 2–6, 7–5, 1–6. After Rome, Ferrero played at Open de Nice Côte d'Azur. In the first round, he beat Dutch Robin Haase after saving a match point 4–6, 7–6, 7–6. In the second round, he fell to Brazilian qualifying Thomaz Bellucci in straight sets 4–6, 3–6. In Roland Garros, his next tournament, Juan won the first match against the French 
Juan Carlos Ferrero