"I reached out to him before the news dropped" - Ben Shelton details Carlos Alcaraz reaction to future Ferrero partnership

Ben Shelton is in a third Masters 1000 final of his career. Currently with a 100% record in this stages of these tournaments at this level, he will hope to continue that in the final match of the Paris Masters against Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of their US Open thriller. What is significant about this contest is the recent coaching news that has got the attention of many tennis fans. With the American set to pair up with Alcaraz's former righthand man, he was quick to let the seven-time Grand Slam champion know of his actions.

Juan Carlos Ferrero had built up an immense reputation alongside Alcaraz, overseeing the incredible progress the young talent had made in such a short space of time to rise to the top and eventually dominate tennis.

However, their reign of terror together would come to a very surprising and sudden halt at the end of 2025 when they went their separate ways. Everyone would then be waiting patiently for Ferrero's next move, but it would not be a while before something was confirmed. That did not stop the rumours from being cast around.

However, eventually the news broke that the former Roland Garros champion had made his decision with Shelton the man he was going to partner with from 2027 onwards. Huge news in the tennis world, and significant with Shelton and Alcaraz set to clash in the Paris Masters final.

Nevertheless, there are no grievances between the players. Shelton decided to let Alcaraz know of the blockbuster news before it came out and was overjoyed to hear his reaction. "No, I mean, I think that’s obviously a bit more personal, but I’d rather take the opportunity to talk about Carlos," he told the Tennis Channel.

"Obviously, I reached out to him before the news dropped, and I wanted to let him know because I know how long and successful their relationship has been."

He was in high praise of the 23-year-old. "I don’t know that there’s a better guy on tour than Carlos Alcaraz. He hit me back straight away after I won Vienna and told me that he was so happy for me and how big the improvements in my game were going to be working with Juan Carlos. I think that’s what makes him such a great, graceful champion and someone that our sport really, really needs."

After reaching the quarter-final stage in the French capital this time last year, Shelton is making big improvements in this tournament. In a season where his form on the big stage has been remarkably inconsistent and contrasting, he has found a great combination on these indoor hardcourts, boding very well for the ATP Finals.

His semi-final win came in the form of a three-set comeback victory over French favourite Luca Van Assche. Wins over Cameron Norrie, Arthur Rinderknech and Tommy Paul confirmed this last-four showdown, and Shelton proved to be too good on the day, prevailing 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

"I think just the way I thought and the way I found answers, to be honest," he said, reviewing his performance. "I was pretty disappointed with how the first set went. I was making a ridiculous amount of errors, spraying the forehand and overplaying a lot. Some of that was down to him. He was moving well and counter-punching well, and I felt the pressure to go for shots early in the rally.

"I think my patience just grew as the match went on. I let the fast court work for me rather than fighting it, which I think is really important out there. I saw how I could go from missing pretty much every forehand I was hitting to making them all and being really effective. Patience is something I’ve been working on. It’s not always easy when you’re playing on a fast court like this and you think, 'I just need to serve and hit the ball big from the baseline.' But I think the way I changed my strategy and was able to adapt was what pleased me most."

Down a break in the third, Shelton kept his cool and found a way back into it. "I think for me, once I get a bead on the serve and feel like I'm getting looks, putting returns in play and being effective in the rallies and baseline points, I feel like the floodgates are open. Once I got that first break and consolidated it with a hold right after, I felt pretty confident that I was going to be able to come up with the goods down the stretch.

"It’s definitely not easy out here, especially when you’re playing a guy who is serving as well as he is. It can be really difficult to see the way through but also find rhythm, which I’m sure many people deal with against me as well. But I thought it was a high-quality match. Shout out to Luca, because he’s playing outstanding tennis. He’s improved so much, with the serve being one of the massive areas. He’s going to be a force in 2027."

The 24-year-old also showcases a new mentality. More smiling and positivity are on for show, different from other end of seasons. "I’ve been able to smile through it, especially a lot this week, which is rare for me. Late in the season, usually at this point, I’m pretty irritable," he admitted.

"But for me, I’ve seen the good in everything. I’ve seen the comedy in some of the things, and I’ve really enjoyed some of the tennis that I’ve been able to play. So I guess it’s a kind of new mentality or mindset for me. It’s not just having to grit my teeth through everything, but being able to have a little bit more fun out there while staying focused at the same time."