Juan Carlos Ferrero set for highly anticipated return to coaching in 2027 alongside Ben Shelton

Huge news coming out of the tennis world as Juan Carlos Ferrero's highly anticipated decision on who he is going to coach next seems to be answered.

After splitting ways with Carlos Alcaraz at the end of 2025, many tennis fans began to speculate who he would be linking up with next. The rumour mill most certainly picked up and gained a huge amount of traction, especially after certain interviews the Spaniard carried out.

Alcaraz's arch rival, Jannik Sinner, and fellow countryman, Rafael Jodar, were rumoured with Flavio Cobolli also testing his luck with a resounding no.

However, it seems that the former Roland Garros champion has set his sights on Ben Shelton to be the next player he guides on the ATP Tour.

The hype built around Ferrero following his hugely successful stint with Alcaraz. Taking him under his wing from 15-years-old, Alcaraz would win his first Grand Slam at the age of 19 and build up a massively impressive array of accolades at the very highest level of the sport.

He had won his sixth Grand Slam at the US Open before losing in the final of the ATP Finals to cap off 2025. Then, the news broke of their surprise separation with the 23-year-old sending out a heartfelt tribute to his former coach.

He has done well since, winning the Australian Open while picking up four ATP titles in 2026, the most recent coming at the Vienna Open. Injury problems have slowed down his progress, but Ferrero has not been missed.

Speaking of which, the 46-year-old has mulled over numerous candidates, and according to The Times, Ferrero has picked out Shelton as the man he will partner with.

The American had endured a mixed 2026. A US Open final, a Canadian Open title and an Australian Open quarter-final have been the only times he has reached the last-eight at Grand Slam or Masters 1000 level. He has picked up four titles in four different sceneries, but recent defeats, like at the Swiss Indoors against the World No.222 Jerome Kym, leave a lot to be improved.

Ferrero will closely follow Shelton's progress at the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals before joining his camp ready to kick on in 2027. It remains to be seen how the team dynamic works with Shelton having been coached by his father, Bryan, for much of his career but for tennis fans very exciting.