Ben Shelton and Juan Carlos Ferrero have confirmed a new coaching partnership that will begin during the 2027 season, in a move described as one of the biggest surprises of the year.
Ferrero had been hinting at a return to the ATP Tour as a coach in recent months. Speculation had linked him with players including Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune and Rafael Jodar, but the former Spanish player will instead join Shelton’s team.
Shelton announced the move in an Instagram Story, writing: “Huge addition to my team for this upcoming season! Juan Carlos Ferrero, excited to get started and put in the work this offseason… let’s get it.”
Ferrero also confirmed the agreement, saying: “Very excited to confirm that I’ll be returning to the ATP Tour in 2027 alongside Ben Shelton and his current team! Excited for what’s ahead! ¡Vamos!”
The statements indicate that Shelton will continue working with his father, Brian Shelton, who has been part of the American’s team since his emergence on the ATP Tour.
The partnership will be Ferrero’s third with a leading ATP player since his retirement in 2012. He previously worked with Alexander Zverev from 2017 to 2018, a period that produced one Masters 1000 title, before beginning a six-year collaboration with Carlos Alcaraz in 2019.
Ferrero and Alcaraz won six Grand Slam titles and eight Masters 1000 titles together. His next assignment will be with a 24-year-old Shelton who is currently ranked fourth in the world after a strong 2026 season.
Shelton has won four ATP titles this year, including his second Masters title at the Canadian Open. He also reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open, where he lost to Zverev, Ferrero’s former player.
Shelton is scheduled to finish the 2025 season at the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals before beginning his work with Ferrero ahead of the 2027 campaign.
Sources: Tennis365.