WATCH: Roger Federer's father Robert & mother Lynette steal the show at Swiss Indoors in son's absence, cheer on Ben Shelton from his player's box
Roger Federer's parents Robert and Lynette recently made an appearance at the 2024 Swiss Indoors Basel, enjoying some exciting tennis in their son's absence. The couple stole the spotlight as they cheered on Ben Shelton from his player's box during his quarterfinal clash.
Shelton has delivered an impressive campaign at the ATP 500 event in Switzerland, beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry and home favorite Stan Wawrinka to reach the quarterfinals. The American then claimed a hard-fought 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 over Andrey Rublev to book his place in the semifinals.
Roger Federer's father Robert and mother Lynette were in attendance for the thrilling encounter, cheering on Shelton from his player's box alongside the 22-year-old's father Bryan.
Federer's parents' show of support for Ben Shelton comes as no surprise, as they also joined the former World No. 1 to enjoy the action during the American's clash with Denis Shapovalov at Wimbledon earlier this year.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion also witnessed Shelton in action at the Laver Cup and later caught up with the American on an evening out after making an appearance at the Shanghai Masters.
"Roger Federer is an icon, he has retained that humility that is the mark of the greats" - Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton has a close association with Roger Federer since he is sponsored by On, the sportswear brand backed by the 20-time Grand Slam champion. In an interview with Blick earlier this year, Shelton gushed over how incredible it felt to spend time with the former World No. 1 and engage in conversations about tennis.
"Working with such icons was incredible for me. I asked Roger a few questions, about the game itself. And I was amazed: he can explain the world of tennis to you in a totally simple and basic way. I liked that," Shelton said (Translated from French).
The 22-year-old also hailed Federer as an icon, expressing his admiration for how the Swiss legend had remained humble despite his remarkable accomplishments.
"Oh, Roger is an icon, that's for sure, but it's true that he has retained that humility that is the mark of the very greats. If, at the end of my career, people tell me that I was a great champion and a great person, I will have achieved something!" he added.
Ben Shelton will take on Arthus Fils in the semifinals of the Swiss Indoors Basel, following the Frenchman's 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas. Their head-to-head record stands level at 1-1, but Fils defeated Shelton 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) in their most recent encounter at the 2024 Japan Open.