A number of coaching changes are set to occur at the start of the 2027 season.
Magnus Norman – the former coach of Stan Wawrinka – is set to replace a retiring Darren Cahill in Jannik Sinner’s coaching setup.
Casper Ruud, the former world number two, has also made a significant move by hiring David Ferrer as his next coach.
Perhaps the most shocking of all the appointments has been Ben Shelton’s decision to add Juan Carlos Ferrero to his team.
Ferrero coached Carlos Alcaraz for seven years, before parting ways with the talented Spaniard in December 2025.
Jimmy Connors has now reacted to the news of Shelton and Ferrero’s partnership, expressing the one question he has for the American.
Jimmy Connors’ one question for Ben Shelton after hiring Juan Carlos Ferrero
“There is one side that is proven already in that relationship, and it ain’t Shelton,” the five-time US Open champion said on the ‘Advantage Connors Podcast‘.
“The question is, is he going to listen? That’s the thing.
“Ferrero has got the credentials, he brought Alcaraz up to number one, Grand Slam champion multiple times already. He’s got some credentials.
“Now, if you’re bringing in a guy like that, are you going to look at him out the corner of your eye and say, ‘what do you have to give me?’
“Or are you going to suck it in like a sponge and just take it all and just try to trust him. [It’s] going to be interesting.”
Ben Shelton’s performances at Grand Slams in 2026
- Australian Open: Quarter-finals [lost to Jannik Sinner, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6]
- Roland Garros: Second round [lost to Raphael Collignon, 4-6, 5-7, 4-6]
- Wimbledon: First round [lost to Otto Virtanen, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 2-6, 6-7]
- US Open: Runner-up [lost to Alexander Zverev, 3-6, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6]
Shelton will hope to impress his new coach when he competes at the ATP Finals next week.
The event, last won by Jannik Sinner, will take place from November 15 to 21.
Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar are also set to compete in Turin, Italy.
Ben Shelton’s ATP Finals group
Shelton’s ATP Finals fate was confirmed on Thursday afternoon – he has been drawn to play Alexander Zverev, Arthur Fils and Rafael Jodar in the John McEnroe Group.
Shelton has an 0-6 record against Zverev and a 2-1 record against Fils. The 23-year-old has never played Jodar in an ATP Tour match.
Last year, Shelton exited the ATP Finals in the round-robin phase. The American finished bottom of his group after being defeated by Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Sinner went on to win the title, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
