Arabic version: فيريرو ينضم إلى فريق شيلتون التدريبي

According to BBC News, Ben Shelton has appointed Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach, to work alongside his father and current coach Bryan. Ferrero is expected to cover 10-12 tournaments next season, including the four Grand Slams.

Ferrero will formally begin working with the American during an off-season training block in the United States. He will first watch Shelton on site at next week’s ATP Finals in Turin. Shelton, 24, has remained in the world’s top 20 for the past four seasons and reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open two months ago.

The left-hander has seven ATP Tour singles titles, including Canadian Open Masters 1000 trophies in 2025 and 2026. He beat an undercooked Alcaraz in the US Open quarter-finals in September but lost the final to new world number one Alexander Zverev. His run in New York featured an improved backhand and stronger defence, although he struggled to execute his forehand at key moments in the final.

Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, is regarded as a tactician who demands focus and clarity. He coached Alcaraz from the age of 15 and helped the Spaniard reach the top of the sport. “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.”

The partnership will also depend on how Ferrero works within a father-son coaching set-up. His previous six-month spell with Zverev ended in 2018 after the German said Ferrero had been “disrespectful” to his team. Veteran coach Rick Macci said Ferrero could help Shelton in many areas, but identified the player’s backhand groundstroke and return as technically unpredictable.