Juan Carlos Ferrero takes a new path with his next student after parting ways with Carlos Alcaraz.
After his unexpected split from Carlos Alcaraz in December 2025, Juan Carlos Ferrero has taken a bold new step with his next student. Ferrero started coaching Alcaraz when he was just 15 and helped turn him into one of the best players in the world. The young Spaniard won his first Grand Slam at 19 and went on to win five more before they parted ways last year.
Their split surprised many, especially since Alcaraz, now 23, had so much success with Ferrero over their seven years together. One reason for the break was said to be questions from Alcaraz’s father about Ferrero’s management. Since then, fans have been curious about who Ferrero would coach next — and now we know: it’s Ben Shelton.
As The Times first reported, Ferrero has chosen Shelton to coach starting in 2027. After taking most of this season off from the ATP Tour, Ferrero is ready to help Shelton go from almost-winning to a consistent champion. Shelton came close to his first Grand Slam this year, reaching the US Open final in September, where he lost to Alexander Zverev. He also beat Alcaraz in the semis, won the Canadian Open in August, and reached the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Despite these highlights, Shelton’s 2026 was mixed, with only those three big tournaments seeing him make it to the later rounds. He has been struggling with consistency. Ferrero plans to watch Shelton’s performance at the Paris Masters and ATP Finals before officially joining his team and helping him push forward in 2027.
This new partnership is exciting for tennis fans who hope to see Shelton challenge the top stars like the “big three” — Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz, and Zverev — for major titles. It’ll also be interesting to see how Ferrero fits into the team, since Shelton has been coached by his father, Bryan, for most of his life.
Ferrero’s choice of Shelton ends months of guessing about who his next player would be, and many find it surprising. People expected him to work with a Spanish-speaking player after his success with Alcaraz. But Shelton, who’s from Atlanta, Georgia, doesn’t speak Spanish, showing Ferrero is taking a different path with this pick.
Still, language won’t likely hold them back. Shelton has a great team around him, and Ferrero brings world-class experience as a former world No. 1 and top coach. Plus, Shelton’s dad knows him better than anyone, so this trio could be the perfect mix to take Shelton’s game to the next level and help him consistently compete for tennis’s biggest prizes.