Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero will join Ben Shelton’s coaching team for the 2027 season, working alongside Shelton’s father and longtime coach, Bryan Shelton. Shelton confirmed the hire on his Instagram Stories on Sunday and Ferrero announced it on his own account. The Spaniard previously worked with Alcaraz for seven years, overseeing six of his seven Grand Slam titles.
The timing of this announcement drove the online reaction. The Times of London reported the agreement on Sunday, and confirmation came hours after Alcaraz beat Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-4 in the Vienna Open final, the 28th tour-level title of his career. Ferrero had told Eurosport España on Oct. 28 that he had already signed with a player and would reveal the name on Nov. 9.
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Much of the response online fixed on that coincidence, and on how Juan Carlos Ferrero will share a box with a player’s father after the way his last job ended. Reacting to the news, one fan on X wrote,
“What a coincidence that this is being announced today, King Carlitos wins the trophy in Vienna. JCF just has to grab the spotlight whenever Carlitos is successful. It’s so pathetic. Nobody cares.”
Another fan shared a similar sentiment, writing,
“Just when Carlos wins a tournament, that b*****d Ferrero drops the bomb.”
Here is how other tennis enthusiasts reacted to the news of Ben Shelton hiring Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero:
“He announces it just when Alcaraz wins in Vienna. Coincidence? I don’t think so,” one fan wrote.
“Let’s see how Ferrero gets along with Shelton’s dad. I get the feeling that parents aren’t his thing,” another added.
“This won’t work unless the dad takes a back seat,” one X user noted.
“This will become the same story. Papa Shelton rules there. It will be another clash just like he had with Papa Alcaraz,” yet another fan chimed in.
Why fans expect there to be tension between Ben Shelton’s father Bryan and Juan Carlos Ferrero
Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero announced their split on Dec. 17, 2025. Since then, neither man has publicly blamed the other’s family. Ferrero told Marca there were “certain issues” over the contract and that money “wasn’t one of the problems,” while Spanish outlet CLAY, citing a source close to the Alcaraz camp, reported “significant disagreements between Ferrero and Alcaraz’s father about how to manage the player’s career.”
On the other hand, Bryan Shelton’s position differs in one obvious way: he is staying. He stepped down as Florida’s head coach to work with his son full time and has been in the box for a career-high No. 4 ranking, four titles in 2026 and that US Open final loss to Alexander Zverev. Ferrero arrives as an addition, not a replacement.
Up next, Ben Shelton plays the Paris Masters this week. The tournament will take place between November 2 and 8, with the entry list featuring the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and more.
Edited by Riddhi Acharya
