Ben Shelton has explained how he arranged for Juan Carlos Ferrero to join his coaching team, saying he initially thought the opportunity had passed. After seeing reports online, Shelton believed Ferrero was set to work with one of the young Spanish players linked to him.
“I just reached out to my agent one day and I was like, ‘Hey, could you just at least, you know, hit the guy up and see if he’s available or if he already locked something in’,” Shelton told Tennis Channel. Ferrero was available, and the two spoke by phone before agreeing to work together at the end of the current season.
Shelton said he was looking forward to the partnership and felt he and Ferrero got along well. He praised Ferrero’s work with Carlos Alcaraz and said the Spaniard’s experience on clay could help him improve on the surface.
The American also described the arrangement as a good fit alongside his parent coach, saying they were both keen to learn from Ferrero. Shelton is currently ranked No. 4, a career high, and reached his first Grand Slam final at this year’s US Open, where he finished runner-up to Alexander Zverev.
Ferrero and Alcaraz won six Grand Slam titles together during their time working as coach and player. Their split at the end of the 2025 season led to speculation about Ferrero’s next move, with Shelton now set to be his new player.
Sources: Tennis365.