A Difficult Year Behind Him
Juan Carlos Ferrero spent much of 2026 navigating one of the toughest personal chapters of his coaching career. After seven years guiding Carlos Alcaraz, the former world number one was moved off the team ahead of the Australian Open, a decision that clearly stung. Ferrero later admitted he could not bring himself to watch Alcaraz's final Down Under, the match where the young Spaniard beat Novak Djokovic to complete a career Grand Slam at just 22 years old. Ferrero told reporters he had seen the results and a few highlights, but was simply not watching much tennis at that point. Samuel Lopez has since stepped in as Alcaraz's primary coach, closing that chapter entirely.
Shelton Partnership Has Ferrero Energised
Fast forward to now, and the picture looks markedly brighter. Brad Gilbert, who previously worked with Coco Gauff, recently sat down with Ferrero following Ben Shelton's impressive run to the Paris Masters final, where the American lost to Alcaraz in a close two-set battle. Gilbert came away convinced that Ferrero is completely re-energised. Speaking on The Big T Podcast, Gilbert described sensing the excitement immediately, noting that Ferrero's mindset has shifted from processing disappointment to focusing on what he can offer a new player. Gilbert was clear that Ferrero's motivation is not about settling scores with his former pupil, but about genuinely investing in Shelton's development.
Ferrero is set to join Shelton's team, which also includes Ben's father Bryan, for the 2027 season. Gilbert believes the 24-year-old American has the tools to reach the very top level, and that having a coach of Ferrero's pedigree alongside him could be transformative. TennisDraw users will be watching Shelton's bracket results closely once that partnership officially gets underway.
