Nearly one year after ending an eight-year partnership, Carlos Alcaraz and his former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero are set to cross paths again at the ATP Finals in Turin, EL PAÍS reported.
The unexpected split in December 2025 gave way to a new dynamic when Ferrero took over coaching duties for American player Ben Shelton, setting up a reunion at the year-end tournament.
Alcaraz enters the tournament ranked third globally and is making his fourth appearance at the season finale. Speaking to reporters in Turin, the Spanish player admitted the reunion carries unusual emotions after months apart.
“No voy a mentir, será un poco extraño. Ha pasado mucho tiempo desde la última vez que nos vimos pero tengo muchas ganas de reencontrarme con él y poder hablar,” said Carlos Alcaraz, tennis player, according to ESPN Deportes.
Alcaraz also mentioned that he is convinced Ferrero can bring many things to Shelton’s tennis and help him improve as a player, noting that he is particularly excited to see him on the bench, observe how he works with him, and check what aspects of his game he manages to boost.
The Spanish player arrives as the recent champion of the Paris Masters 1000 and owns 29 Tour titles alongside seven Grand Slams, in addition to holding a silver medal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The coaching change marks a significant shift for Ferrero, who agreed to join Shelton’s team with specific conditions regarding travel. According to Tennis World ES, the 46-year-old coach wanted to spend more time with his family and agreed to be present at approximately 12 tournaments per year rather than traveling full-time. The agreement will include Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events, while the ATP Finals could also be part of his plans.
Bryan Shelton, the player’s father, will continue training his son and travel to tournaments when Ferrero is not available. Ferrero believes Shelton has the necessary mentality to reach his goals, though he also considers that he must make better decisions during matches and be more regular against rivals such as Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Zverev.
Ferrero supervised his first training session with the fourth-ranked Shelton on court 1 of the Circolo della Stampa, working alongside the player’s father, Bryan Shelton, as reported by Diario AS. The coach had already advised him during the Paris Masters 1000, although he was not present then as he is now in the Italian capital.
Flavio Cobolli, the sixth-ranked player and the only Italian in the singles draw, praised Ferrero in an interview with the Corriere della Sera, stating that he is like Ancelotti or Guardiola.
Alcaraz and Shelton are in different groups and can only face each other starting from the semifinals, according to MARCA. Alcaraz shared a brief training session with Cobolli on the Central court on Friday.
“Hemos venido para pasar unos días juntos en la pista antes de empezar oficialmente la preparación de pretemporada,” said Ben Shelton, tennis player, according to Diario AS.
Alcaraz dealt with physical concerns during preparation in Italy, wearing a tape on his right knee before stopping a training session due to stomach discomfort, ESPN Deportes reported.
Ferrero plans to observe Shelton during the Turin event before working on a pre-season training block to prepare for the 2027 tour schedule, Tennis World ES noted.
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