Juan Carlos Ferrero is a former Spanish tennis player, nicknamed “Mosquito” for his speed and slender build. He won Roland-Garros in 2003, became World No. 1 the same year and played on the tour from 1998 to 2012.

He then coached Carlos Alcaraz for seven years, until their split in December 2025. He will coach American Ben Shelton from 2027.

Was Juan Carlos Ferrero a good junior?

Ferrero peaked at No. 17 in the ITF junior rankings in December 1998. That year, he reached the final of the Roland-Garros junior event, where he lost to Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez.

How many Grand Slam titles did Ferrero win?

One. Ferrero won Roland-Garros in 2003, beating surprise finalist Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

He also reached two other Grand Slam finals: Roland-Garros in 2002, where he lost to Albert Costa, and the US Open in 2003, where he lost to Andy Roddick.

How many ATP titles did Ferrero win?

Ferrero won 16 ATP titles. They include Roland-Garros in 2003 and four Masters 1000 titles: Rome in 2001, Monte-Carlo in 2002 and 2003, and Madrid in 2003.

In 2008, he became the first man to beat Rafael Nadal in Rome.

What was Ferrero’s highest ranking?

No. 1. Ferrero reached the top of the rankings in September 2003, the 21st man to do so, and held it for eight weeks in total. Andy Roddick replaced him in November 2003.

According to the ATP Tour website, he earned $13,998,165 in prize money during his career.

Which players has Ferrero coached?

Ferrero worked with Germany’s Alexander Zverev, then World No. 11, from July 2017. They split in February 2018 over different working styles.

He then coached Alcaraz from the age of 15 until December 2025. From 2027, he will coach Shelton.

What did Ferrero achieve with Carlos Alcaraz?

With Ferrero in his box, Alcaraz won six Grand Slam titles: the US Open in 2022 and 2025, Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, and Roland-Garros in 2024 and 2025. In September 2022, at 19, he became the youngest World No. 1 since the ATP rankings began in 1973.

Alcaraz won his seventh major, the 2026 Australian Open, without Ferrero. He completed the Career Grand Slam there.

Why did Ferrero and Alcaraz split?

Alcaraz announced the end of their partnership in December 2025. Ferrero said he would have liked to continue.

He later said contract talks had broken down over clauses unrelated to tennis. In March 2026, he described different views on discipline. In October 2026, while presenting his autobiography, he denied having been too strict.

What does Ferrero think of Alcaraz now?

In an interview with Marca in November 2026, Ferrero said it had been strange to see Alcaraz beat Shelton in the Rolex Paris Masters final. “It was the first time in eight years that I had to think about things to go against him,” he said. “Not against him, but to try to counter Carlos’s game.”

He called Alcaraz “the 100 per cent favorite” for the ATP Finals in Turin, and said the split had not changed his view that Alcaraz can become the best player in history. “Technically he is outstanding, already one of the best in history,” he said.

The two expect to meet in Turin. “If the meeting finally happens, we will try to make it 100 per cent normal,” Ferrero said. “The time has come, and I’m sure that deep down he also wants everything to return to normal.”

Why did Ferrero choose Ben Shelton?

Ferrero told Marca that the first contacts came at the end of October 2026, and that the idea came from Shelton and his father, Bryan. “My decision to say yes came from seeing that desire and enthusiasm,” he said.

He said he had warned Shelton that he was a demanding coach, and that the American replied that he loved training blocks. Ferrero believes Shelton can win a Grand Slam title. “By improving certain areas of his game, he can have a high chance of competing on equal terms with those at the top,” he said.

Asked whether Jannik Sinner had approached him, Ferrero declined to say. “I have had very important contacts, but I’m not going to reveal them,” he said.

How will Ferrero work with Shelton?

Ferrero will spend December 2026 in Orlando for the preseason, then join Shelton at the Australian Open, his first tournament with him. He plans to attend 12 or 13 tournaments a year: in theory the four Grand Slams, the Masters 1000 events and the ATP Finals if Shelton qualifies. Bryan Shelton will cover the other weeks.

He helped Shelton during the Rolex Paris Masters, but does not plan to sit in his box at the ATP Finals. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to sit on the bench now and start telling him things,” he said, adding that he first needed a preseason with him.

Where is Ferrero’s academy?

Ferrero runs his own academy in Villena, in the province of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain. It was founded in 1990 by Antonio Martínez Cascales, who coached Ferrero from the age of 10.

When the clay season comes, Ferrero told Marca, Shelton may train there between tournaments rather than return to the United States.

Could Ferrero become Davis Cup captain?

David Ferrer is stepping down as Spain’s Davis Cup captain. Asked if the job had passed him by, Ferrero said he was “still quite young” to say so. “In the future I would like it to happen at some point,” he said.

Who is Juan Carlos Ferrero’s wife?

Ferrero married Eva Alonso in 2015, after a long relationship. The couple have three children.

Is Juan Carlos Ferrero on social media?

Ferrero is active on Instagram. He also has an X account.