"Which one in the holster can we use to go after the guy who fired me": Method behind madness as Roddick lauds Juan Carlos Ferrero - Ben Shelton link-up

Tuesday, 03 November 2026 at 16:00

It has been reported that Juan Carlos Ferrero will aim to further the hopes of one of Carlos Alcaraz's biggest rivals next year in the form of Ben Shelton. The Spanish coach has been teasing a return to the ATP Tour for months since splitting with Carlos Alcaraz at the end of the 2025 season.

Many names were given, including Jannik Sinner, who ironically since then has joined forces with Magnus Norman from next season onwards as Darren Cahill begins to depart the sport. As well as Rafa Jodar, but in the end it was in fact Shelton, and while the move looks confusing on paper, the fact that his father, Bryan, will still be on board helps matters.

The pair will begin working together in the off-season ahead of 2027. Some are wary of the partnership, but Andy Roddick has spoken out in favour of it, saying that it ticks a lot of boxes, especially with the elder Shelton staying on board, who has brought such stability to the corner of the American as his father.

Shelton to take it to Big Two.

“And so I think just that, in view of, okay, I helped this guy break through at his first Grand Slam. Let’s fill that void. I’ve been number one in the world. All right, let’s fill that void. You’re an expert on the surface that I’m least effective on. Okay, that’s a great check.

“Like, so this complements this team very well on paper. The fact that Brian exists also makes this realistic logistically because without Brian Shelton there, all of a sudden you’re going, ‘Okay, is Ben spending 6 weeks a year in Spain, or is Juan Carlos going to spend 3 months a year in the United States?’

“Neither seems like, at least traditionally, what either of those guys wants to do, right? With Brian there knowing and being able to pace through practice weeks and all that and then having Juan Carlos come in and add value and almost prioritising the weeks that he can add value.

“This is a win, but to your point, it doesn’t happen without Bryan. I don’t think it doesn’t make it logistically possible without Bryan. So listen, a lot of people would have jumped at this opportunity. It’s exciting.

“We’ve all heard over and over and over about this men’s drought on the American side. If you’re like Juan Carlos Ferrero, you’re going to say, “Yeah, that’s a fun story." I can get into that. "Like, this is a big challenge.”

Shelton picked for a reason

Roddick also believes that Ferrero has picked Shelton to be his new protege, as he believes he can challenge Alcaraz and Sinner, and that the likely split from Alcaraz would've been on his mind when deciding to get Shelton on board.

Roddick summed it up as being Shelton as the best answer in the holster and a good player as any to trouble those big two.

"There are two monsters. One I know very well, and the other one I know very well with Alcaraz and Sinner. That’s who we’re going to have to go through.

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“And also, I got to think like, listen, Juan Carlos, you don’t get to a French Open champion. You don’t get to number one in the world without some ego, right? He’s going, ‘Okay, which one in the holster can we use to go after the guy who fired me?’ You know, Shelton’s as good of an answer as any.”

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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