Juan Carlos Ferrero is preparing for a new chapter on the ATP Tour, and his next project could look very different from his last one. After helping Carlos Alcaraz become a six-time Grand Slam champion, the former world No. 1 is set to join Ben Shelton’s coaching team for the 2027 season. The reported move also brings an unusual arrangement, as Ferrero will work alongside the American’s father and longtime coach, Bryan Shelton. It is a fresh challenge for the Spaniard after a difficult separation from his former pupil.

According to The Times, Ferrero and Shelton have reached an agreement, with their partnership expected to begin in December during the off-season. Shelton, currently ranked world No. 4, will retain his father as part of his coaching setup. Ferrero is expected to bring his experience from one of the most successful player-coach partnerships in recent tennis history.

The American has already built an impressive résumé. He won the Masters 1000 titles in Toronto and Montreal and reached the US Open final in 2026. His season also featured a memorable run at the Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals. At 24, Shelton has established himself among the leading players on the ATP Tour, but Ferrero’s arrival could offer another perspective as he looks to take the next step in his career.

For Ferrero, the appointment would mark his return to the coaching circuit after leaving Alcaraz’s team in December 2025. Their partnership began when the Spaniard was just 15 and lasted more than seven years. Together, they reached the top of men’s tennis, with Alcaraz winning six Grand Slam titles and becoming the youngest player to reach world No. 1.

Ferrero had already confirmed that he would return to coaching in 2027, although he initially kept his next player’s identity secret. In an interview with Eurosport Spain, he said he had finalised an agreement and that the name would be revealed on November 9. The report linking him to Shelton has now brought that mystery into focus ahead of the planned announcement.

Ferrero Opens Up About His Split With Carlos Alcaraz

The reported move comes shortly after Ferrero offered his most detailed reflections yet on the end of his partnership with Alcaraz. Speaking to Spanish newspaper El Mundo while promoting his autobiography, Mentalidad ganadora, the former French Open champion challenged the suggestion that his demanding coaching style had been too restrictive.

“Saying no to a lot of things is essential,” Ferrero said, “but with Carlos I wasn’t too strict, not at all,” according to Tennis Majors.

Ferrero also rejected the idea that their bond resembled a father-son relationship. He insisted that family, friendship, and professional coaching needed clear boundaries, even though trust and affection had played important roles in their success.

The separation was not easy for him. Ferrero admitted that he did not watch Alcaraz win the Australian Open, the first major title the Spaniard claimed without his former coach in the box. He later said that he had resumed watching and analysing Alcaraz’s matches and was feeling better about the split.

His next appointment could offer a different kind of challenge. Ferrero has said he does not want to start from scratch with another teenage prospect, as he did with Alcaraz. Shelton already has Masters 1000 titles and a Grand Slam final behind him, giving the Spaniard an established player to work with.

The arrangement will also require coordination with Bryan Shelton, who has played a central role in his son’s development. How the two coaches divide their responsibilities remains to be seen, but Ferrero’s experience at the highest level makes this one of the most intriguing coaching developments ahead of the 2027 season.