Juan Carlos Ferrero does not expect to sit in Ben Shelton's player box at the ATP Finals in Turin, which run from November 15 to 22, according to an interview with Marca reported by Yahoo Tennis. Shelton, one of eight qualified players, has hired Ferrero to join his set-up from the 2027 season, working alongside his father Bryan.
Ferrero said that communication requires a preseason to get to know the player, and that he has a commitment the week of the finals that will keep him from attending the whole event. He hopes to see Shelton's first match live and take notes, but said it would not be right to start giving him instructions on the bench without having worked together beforehand.
The partnership's timeline is therefore clear: Ferrero's first formal role begins after the season, and any presence in Turin is still undecided. Shelton's recent season included four titles and a runner-up finish at the US Open to Alexander Zverev. Ferrero's head-to-head with Alcaraz, whom he coached to most of his Grand Slam titles, also stands at 4-1 for the Spaniard after the Paris Masters final, a record Ferrero's new pupil will have to close the gap on.
