Ben Shelton defeated Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Paris Masters, shortly after naming Juan Carlos Ferrero as his upcoming coach for 2027. The world number four is aiming to chase down Alexander Zverev, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz in the new year by targeting key areas of improvement in his game.
Learning Return Strategies from Djokovic
Speaking in an interview with Tennis Channel after his straight-sets victory, Shelton pointed to Novak Djokovic as the model for improving his return game on faster courts. He explained that players must make educated guesses against fast serves rather than reacting to a 50-50 split, noting that Djokovic frequently hedges his bets and guesses correctly.
Shelton stated that watching footage of elite returners helps him improve. While he feels he is an elite returner on slower courts, he noted that faster surfaces require a more intelligent and savvy approach to secure breaks and keep the ball in play, adding that he focused on being aggressive with his second-serve returns.
Statistical data highlights the gap in Shelton’s game. Although he ranks fourth on the ATP Tour for serve rating, his return metrics over the last 52 weeks place him outside the top 50 across five key categories: return rating at 122.0 (72nd), first-serve return points won at 24.2% (76th), second-serve return points won at 46.7% (64th), return games won at 14.7% (76th), and break points converted at 36.4% (61st).
Teaming Up With Juan Carlos Ferrero
Shelton also addressed how his partnership with Ferrero materialized after online rumors initially suggested the coach would work with a young Spanish player. He asked his agent to contact Ferrero, leading to phone discussions that finalized the arrangement for the future.
Praising Ferrero for his previous work guiding Carlos Alcaraz to six Grand Slam titles and the world number one ranking, Shelton described him as one of the best coaches globally. He noted that Ferrero’s extensive success on clay courts will help address another surface where Shelton wants to improve.
Shelton called the collaboration a unique and ideal situation, explaining that his parent coach is supportive of bringing in an ego-free addition to the team. He expressed excitement about learning from Ferrero and getting to work during the off-season.
Shelton will face Arthur Rinderknech in the third round of the Paris Masters on Thursday, November 5, before traveling to Turin for the ATP Finals beginning on Sunday, November 15.
