Billionaire Roger Federer-Backed Ben Shelton Reveals Endearing Childhood Tale That Gave Rise to His Widely Popular Signature Move at the US Open

At this year’s US Open, there’s one rising star who has caught the attention of fans and players, not just with his incredible performances but also for his creative celebrations. Ben Shelton, who has already bagged a lucrative sponsorship deal from Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer-backed brand, On—showcased a signature move that has become the talk of the town.

Shelton’s trending gesture at the US Open isn’t a random act; it associates the rising star with his Atlanta upbringing. In his candid post-match press conference, Shelton reminisced about a time when smartphones weren’t all over the place. It was about the time he used his landline phone to call his friends for fun.

Ben Shelton shares the nostalgic connection between his home phone and his iconic celebration

While Shelton’s journey in tennis has taken him a long way from his Atlanta home, the 20-year-old’s celebration keeps him close to his roots. The ‘dialed in‘ move is something beyond a celebration move. It is an indication of the experiences that have helped him become the athlete he is today.

Shelton defeated Frances Tiafoe within a span of four sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York to advance to the semifinal round. After his win, Shelton whisked out an imaginary phone and slammed it down as he pretended to hang it up. In his post-match interview, Shelton shared,” .. see if they wanted to go outside and throw a football, that was what I did. But for me it’s kind of like I’m saying I’m dialed in.”

Shelton also explained, “You know, the first time that I saw it is I’m close friends with a lot of track and field athletes who train at the University of Florida where I live in Gainesville. One in particular, Grant Holloway, who’s won the World Championships.

“I think three times in a row now, that’s kind of his signature thing. He loves doing this when he wins. And a lot of other athletes on the team kind of started doing it after too.”

If the American star ends up lifting the trophy next week, who’s to say that this won’t become the go-to celebration of other sports personalities, as well? Apart from dazzling the fans with his skills, Shelton joined On, thanks to his admiration of Federer. As the newest addition to the On family, he recently expressed his admiration for the Swiss Maestro.

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Federer shares a playful banter and displays his partnership with rising tennis star Shelton

Ben Shelton’s journey in tennis has gotten a huge lift through his relationship with On, an estimated $10-bn-worth Swiss-based shoe brand that flaunts Roger Federer as one of its partners. Now with Shelton as a part of their roster, the brand has indeed safeguarded their future. As the American dazzles the tennis world with his skills and iconic celebrations, the brand expects its top-line revenue to grow 44% this year, as reported by Forbes.

Business aside, a few months ago, after his exit in the second round at Wimbledon, Shelton met the 41-year-old tennis legend in person. Overwhelmed by the moment, the tennis ace shared a post on his Instagram. Shelton described the encounter as one of his bucket list items, “Bucket list meeting the 🐐.” 

When Shelton initially joined the sportswear company, they made a social media announcement. In response, the 20-time Grand Slam champion humorously commented on the post with the hashtag ‘SheltON.’ In good spirits, the rising American star reciprocated by responding with a series of laughing-out-loud emojis.

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