A Courtesy Call Before the Big Announcement
Ben Shelton made sure Carlos Alcaraz heard the news directly from him before the rest of the tennis world found out. The American confirmed he reached out to Alcaraz privately before announcing that Juan Carlos Ferrero, who guided Alcaraz from a 15-year-old prospect to a six-time Grand Slam champion, would join his team ahead of the 2027 season. Shelton told Tennis Channel he felt the conversation was simply the right thing to do, given how long and fruitful the Alcaraz-Ferrero partnership had been.
Alcaraz and Ferrero parted ways in December 2025 after a collaboration that produced 24 ATP Tour singles titles and made Alcaraz the youngest world number one in history following his 2022 US Open triumph at age 19. For Shelton, a player who already holds two Masters 1000 titles and reached his first Grand Slam final at this year's US Open, Ferrero represents a chance to close the gap on the very best players in the game.
Alcaraz Shows Why He Is a Champion On and Off the Court
Shelton described Alcaraz's response as instant and generous. Fresh off a title victory in Vienna, Alcaraz fired back a message telling Shelton how excited he was for him and predicting significant improvements in his game under Ferrero's guidance. Shelton called that reaction a sign of the kind of champion Alcaraz truly is, the sort the sport genuinely needs.
The two rivals are set to face off in Sunday's Paris Masters final, with Alcaraz holding a 3-1 head-to-head advantage but Shelton having beaten him in a memorable five-set US Open quarter-final earlier this year. Ferrero, who will work alongside Shelton's father Bryan, is known as a sharp tactical thinker who demands focus from his players. TennisDraw bracket users have been split on this Paris final, with both players drawing significant pick percentages heading into the blockbuster showdown.
