The 5 main candidates to be coached by Ferrero in 2027
We analyze which tennis players could be coached by Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2027, after he confirmed his return to the circuit as a coach.
Juan Carlos Ferrero dropped the news bomb when it was least expected, causing a wave of rumors about who will be the tennis player that brings him back to the benches in 2027. The former world number 1 and ex-coach of Alcaraz will be in the spotlight next year, but he has not revealed the identity of his new player. We uncover who it might be.
A new adventure is on the horizon. Juan Carlos Ferrero confirmed that he will return to coach a player in 2027, but he has resisted revealing his identity. This has only given free rein to the imagination of all tennis fans, who are theorizing about who the lucky player will be that will have the man who took Alcaraz to the top in his box starting next season. We consider there are five clear candidates.
🫢🎾 "I will return to the circuit, but I still can't say with whom"
𝐉𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐨 confirms his return to tennis for next season.
🎙️ @Rsierraplus#LaCasaDelFútbol #LaPistaDelTenis pic.twitter.com/XByLYkOsA0— Movistar Plus Deportes (@MPlusDeportes) September 15, 2026
Although everything indicates that the Valencian will be the mentor of a player, it is also possible that he seeks a new adventure in the WTA circuit, where the current context invites him to get involved due to the immense competitiveness and the fact that great players may be looking for a coach. Keeping that option open, it is considered much more feasible for Ferrero to return to the ATP circuit, an ecosystem he knows perfectly from his years alongside Alcaraz.
The 5 players Ferrero could coach in 2027
Rafael Jódar
Seems like the most feasible option and the logical step in both their careers. The ease of communication with a Spanish player is a great advantage, and Ferrero would find himself with a true diamond in the rough that he could polish with his own ideas and methods.
The doubt would be whether he would be given absolute power as a coach or would share responsibilities with Rafa's father, taking on more of an advisory role. There has already been talk of the intention of Jódar and his father to incorporate a coach in 2027, and some voices in tennis have called for this union between Rafa Jódar and Juan Carlos Ferrero.
It is possible that the loss of the Madrilenian at the US Open has made both him and his father realize the need to continue progressing in his career, and for that, to step out of the comfort zone in which they are settled. No one better than someone like Ferrero to do it.
Jannik Sinner
A media frenzy would ensue if Ferrero joins forces with Sinner. It's something that could be on the table and would make sense since Darren Cahill will part ways with Jannik's team at the end of this season, after staying a year longer than expected.
Therefore, the role Juan Carlos would play in this case would be shared with Simone Vagnozzi. This move would be a significant moral blow to Alcaraz and could declare a clear covert war between them, as he would go to Alcaraz's major rival and could leak many things about how Alcaraz works and who he is.
Holger Rune
The Danish player is actively seeking a new coach for a new phase in his career. Once he completes his recovery from the severe injury to his Achilles tendon, he will want to find a new coach to work with in order to become a contender once again.
He has been going back and forth for some time now, with attempts at new coaches that do not materialize and always returning to the known, embodied in the figure of Lars Christensen. It seems that a player of his caliber and potential needs an authoritative push from the benches to believe in a new project.
Just as he spent years working at the Mouratoglou academy in France, Rune would have no problem spending long periods at Juan Carlos's academy in Villena, establishing the place as a nerve center for an elite tennis player.
Alexander Zverev
This may sound far-fetched, but the truth is that the most difficult part is not reaching the top but staying there, so Sascha might be willing to step out of his comfort zone to establish himself at the summit. He has broken a glass ceiling by winning two Grand Slam titles, and after tasting glory, he does not want to give it up.
He is aware that he will need an extra boost in his tennis to be able to consistently defeat Sinner and Alcaraz, and Ferrero could be the one to provide that. Many things have changed in the German's life since the time he worked with Juan Carlos, and he might seek a new professional romance with him in order to demonstrate his progress in maturity and willingness to embrace work methods that go beyond those of his father and brother.
Félix Auger-Aliassime
The Canadian is looking for a new coach after ending his relationship with Frederic Fontang. Despite having settled in the top-5 for some time, Auger-Aliassime has not taken advantage of that privileged position to take a step further and seems to have stagnated somewhat in recent times.
That is why he might seek a real revolution in 2027 from the benches. He has experience working with a demanding Spanish coach, such as Toni Nadal, so he is not unfamiliar with the way of understanding tennis that Juan Carlos may have.
There may be other names in consideration, but all of them would hold less significance than those mentioned, and the likelihood of Juan Carlos Ferrero embarking on an adventure with them would be much lower than with the aforementioned. The former world number 1 has reaffirmed on several occasions that he would only return to the ATP circuit if it is with a project that truly excites him, so he must have something really interesting in hand. We must wait to unveil the great mystery.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Casting abierto: ¿A quién podría entrenar Ferrero?