Billionaire Roger Federer-Backed Ben Shelton Touted to Create Ripples in the Tennis World as Former Legend Makes Staggering Claim

The rise of Ben Shelton has been nothing short of impeccable. At just 20, he enthralled local fans with a gritty display at this year’s US Open. What ensued was his best performance at Grand Slams, as he reached the semifinals of the tournament. The American sensation has been backed by billionaire and tennis legend Roger Federer too. Back in August 2022, the Swiss maestro’s sports management company TEAM8 entered into a partnership with Shelton. The association expanded further with Shelton joining On Running Shoes. With such strong backing, a former US Open finalist predicts big things from Shelton.

The American star is slowly becoming a crowd favorite as he aims to step up his game. What exactly did this noteworthy former player have to say about Shelton?

British tennis legend makes a big claim on Ben Shelton

Recently, a new episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast dropped, featuring Greg Rusedski. During the talk show, he made a big claim on rising American star Ben Shelton.

Talking about this, Rusedski said, “I think mentally, I think he’s pretty tough. And also, let’s not forget a certain guy by the name of Roger Federer is his clothing sponsor and his brand sponsor, so he thinks very highly of the young man. So I think he’s got a real opportunity and a good shot to do that.”

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Shelton’s association with Federer has grown leaps and bounds over months. Earlier this year, the Swiss maestro’s agency members were also present in Shelton’s box during his quarterfinal match at the US Open. Despite their strong partnership and Shelton considering Federer his idol, the former once actually snubbed the Swiss maestro in a surprising revelation!

Shelton gets candid about the rival of Roger Federer

The 20-year-old revealed that he had a secret admiration for Novak Djokovic despite idolizing his rival, Federer. Sharing his thoughts on this front, Shelton said, “He [Djokovic] craves the negativity, hearing from the haters. I can use that for fuel, and it really helps me play much better with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder.”

The American sensation lost out to Djokovic in the semifinals of the US Open. The Serb appeared to mock Shelton’s dial-in celebration after the match by copying him. However, he received a lot of backlash regarding the same from fans on social media. However, Shelton’s sassy response back then, claiming that “imitiation is the sincerest form of flattery”, was a page straight out of the Serb’s classic nonchalance.

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