Roger Federer's father has new favourite player to watch after son's retirement: "Wow, it’s just beautiful to look at him"
ATP
Roger
Federer's father shared his impression of his new favorite player, American Ben
Shelton.
Ben Shelton
had an impressive debut season, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian
Open, the semifinals of the US Open, and winning his first title at the ATP 500
Tokyo Open.
Recently,
Roger Federer's father confessed that Shelton is his "new favorite"
player to watch since the retirement of the 20-times Grand Slam champion
Federer. Shelton is managed by the TEAM8 agency and wears clothing from the
brand On, which is backed by the Swiss when he was still a professional.
The
20-year-old American recently responded to an interview with La Gazzeta dello
Sport, where he talked about his impression of the Big-3 and stated that
Federer is his favorite tennis player.
“I studied
[Rafael] Nadal and tried to steal some secrets from him. But my favourite has
always been Roger. Novak Djokovic? In three years he will still be a top five,
he will still win tournaments,” Ben Shelton said.
Now, it was Robert Federer who wanted to comment on the great performance of the American and his hopes of continuing to see him on the ATP Tour:
“Wow, it’s
just beautiful to look at him. I’m a big fan of his. It’s my new favourite. I
am always also interested in how the parents behave,”
“I still
deal with a huge pile of fan mail. You would think this would diminish after
Roger retired. But this is not the case,”
Shelton
finished the year as the world No. 17, ranking as the fourth American player
within the top 20, behind Taylor Fritz (10th), Tommy Paul (13th), and Frances
Tiafoe (16th).
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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