Ferrero speaks for the first time about his new pupil, Ben Shelton: “We are going to try to polish that diamond in the rough to be able to compete head to head with Alcaraz, Sinner and Zverev on a constant basis”

Juan Carlos Ferrerothe coach who took Carlos Alcarazhas spoken for the first time about his new pupil, Ben Sheltonand the details that he will share with the number 4 in the ranking and current finalist of the US Openwith which the former world number 1 will return to the ATP circuit next season.

Ferrero, 46, joins the technical team Bryan Sheltonfather and coach of the American tennis player, who with the incorporation of the Spanish coach seeks to take the next step forward, that is, achieve the regularity that allows him to compete with the dominators of the moment (Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev) and win titles grand slam. Shelton only has two wins in 21 matches with the three, right now he has a very negative balance: Alcaraz (1-4), Sinner (1-9) and Zverev (0-6).

“Ben and his father are a very good team and they are showing me great enthusiasm and affection. Ben has a lot of potential, a serve that makes a lot of difference, very physically strong, but he needs to improve his mobility a little and his consistency a lot. He has to be clearer about what to play at certain moments of the game,” Ferrero x-rays his new disciple in the podcast ‘The Raquetazo’ who drive José Antonio Mielgo and Roberto Carretero.

“If you ask any player on the circuit, none of them play comfortably with him, I think everyone knows that he is a very dangerous player who is difficult to play with because he plays very fast, with changes of pace and a very uncomfortable left-handed serve,” says Shelton’s new coach.

“We are going to try to polish this diamond in the rough that has very good skills to be able to aspire in not too long to be able to compete head-to-head with the three that are right now in front of him constantly. Today he can compete against them, but throughout the year he always has a little ups and downs and, in that aspect, we have to try to bring him closer to competing against the three and, obviously, not to lose games with people with whom he should not lose,” he points out. Ferrero.

“I am very clear that he is convinced that he can get there, he has already done it, he has already competed and he has won at Carlos and Sinner. What is true is that the others are constantly competing for very important titles and he comes and goes. In that aspect, important work can be done at a mental level, at the level of knowing how to use the weapons you have well. And then touch on some little things at a technical level that I see can improve, especially the position of the legs when hitting, the balance,” said Ferrero, who finished his time with Alcaraz last year.

“With Shelton you can work on many things that I was able to work on with Carlos from the age of 15 and then his way of playing has been very natural. With this boy, at 24, it may be a little more difficult, but we will try little by little, throughout the year, to introduce very good habits on and off the court so that everything comes out naturally,” explained the Valencian coach.

“One thing that is in his favor is that Ben has a tremendous desire. He has already sent me messages three or four times telling me: ‘You don’t know how eager I am to start the season so I can work’. In that aspect, I am excited and I want to go there to work. Let’s hope that the results come sooner rather than later. I think you will notice a significant improvement, especially in your footwork, which is one of the most important things for your tennis to come out in a more natural way,” affects Juan Carlos.

“In the meeting with Ben and his father everything was very close and, in a matter of a few weeks, everything was closed. The father could say: ‘I have taken him to No. US Opentheir objectives are high-minded,” Ferrero discovers.