David Ferrer made waves when he confirmed that he would not coach Spain at the Davis Cup past the 2026 season.
Many suggested the iconic Spanish coach could be lining up a new move with an ATP Tour star, with many touting Carlos Alcaraz or Rafael Jodar.
Alcaraz did not replace Juan Carlos Ferrero when they split after the 2025 season, instead opting to work solely with Samuel Lopez.
Rafael Jodar, meanwhile, has taken the ATP Tour by storm while working with just his father in his coaching box.
More tennis news
According to a new report, however, Ferrer has opted to work with Casper Ruud despite being linked to work with one of the top Spaniards on the ATP Tour.
Eurosport Spain is reporting that the deal has been signed for Ferrer and Ruud to work together in the 2027 season, with official confirmation likely to come after the Davis Cup Finals.
Ruud has slipped down the rankings in the 2026 season and currently sits at world No 18 in the ATP Tour rankings.
The Norwegian looked set to be one of the top new players in men’s tennis when he first emerged on the ATP Tour and he has enjoyed several highs in the sport.
He has reached three Grand Slam finals, at the 2022 and 2023 Roland Garros and the 2022 US Open, but he is yet to win his maiden major title.
The star enjoyed a career ranking high of world No 2 after reaching the final of the US Open in 2022, so he will be hoping to kick back into that gear in his new collaboration with Ferrer.
Despite falling down the rankings in 2026, there has been several signs that Ruud could reach those heights again.
He reached the final of the Italian Open on the clay this year for the first time, while he has also been impressive in his run to the semifinals at the Paris Masters.
David Ferrer’s coaching career so far
- 2020-2021: Alexander Zverev
- 2022-2026: Spain’s Davis Cup captain
But Ruud has failed to win an ATP Tour title for nearly a calendar year at this point. His last victory came at the Stockholm Open this time last season, so that will surely be his first goal under Ferrer.
Ruud is yet to confirm which tournaments he will play before the Australian Open next year, but he played the United Cup and the ASB Classic in the 2025 season.
Before the 2026 season is finished, he will look to defend his title at the Stockholm Open, which begins on the 8th November and finishes on the 14th November.
