Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters said she was "very surprised" by American Ben Shelton's decision to hire Juan Carlos Ferrero as his new coach, according to comments made Thursday.
The 2023 US Open semifinalist Shelton announced the partnership with Ferrero, a former world No. 1 and 2003 French Open champion, earlier this week. Clijsters, a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, noted the unexpected nature of the move given Shelton's previous coaching setup.
Ferrero, who previously coached Carlos Alcaraz to multiple major titles, brings extensive experience to Shelton's team as the 22-year-old American looks to build on his breakthrough season.
