Ben Shelton, the top-ranked American tennis player, will add Juan Carlos Ferrero to his coaching team for the 2027 season.
Both Shelton and Ferrero confirmed the new partnership in social media posts on Sunday.
“Juan Carlos is one of the great minds in tennis,” Shelton said. “His experience of winning at the highest level and developing champions will be a huge asset to our team.”
Shelton has been coached solely by his father, Bryan, during his four years as a professional. Bryan, a former ATP pro player, also coached his son at the University of Florida for two seasons.
“Ben has extraordinary talent, power and character,” Ferrero wrote in a graphic published on Instagram.
“I’m very happy to join Bryan and the team in this exciting new chapter. I’m really looking forward to contributing my experience and working with everyone to achieve ambitious goals.”
Shelton, 24, enjoyed his best season on tour, winning four titles, including the Canadian Open, an ATP Tour 1000 event. He reached the final of the U.S. Open before falling to the current World No. 1, Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
Ferrero, 46, coached Carlos Alcaraz from 2018 to 2025, helping the Spaniard win 24 ATP Tour titles, including six Grand Slam championships.
The two Spaniards parted ways in December 2025 and Alcaraz went on to win the 2026 Australian Open six weeks later. Samuel Lopez, who joined the Alcaraz team before the 2025 season, coached Alcaraz in Melbourne and continued the partnership throughout the 2026 season.
That partnership went on hiatus for much of the spring and summer after Alcaraz sustained a wrist injury that forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon. He returned for the U.S. Open, reaching the quarterfinals, where he was outlasted by Shelton in a dramatic five-set match.
Shelton has reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world and has qualified for the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, Italy.
Before Turin, the big-hitting lefty will play this week’s Paris Masters. He is seeded No. 3 and faces Great Britain’s Cam Norrie on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
