The 2025 Cincinnati Open delivered a twist that had nothing to do with scorelines and everything to do with sportsmanship. Former world No. 1 Roger Federer, attending the tournament as a guest commentator, left Italian fans stunned when he publicly called Ben Shelton “an idiot” — not out of malice, but sheer disbelief — after Shelton went out of his way to help his opponent, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, even though he had already been eliminated from the competition.
It happened during a late afternoon training session before Carabelli’s next match. The Argentine player, still nursing a slight ankle issue from his previous clash, was struggling to carry a heavy gear bag down a narrow set of stairs near the Grandstand court. Shelton, who had finished his run in the tournament hours earlier, noticed the problem from across the walkway. Without hesitation, he jogged over, took the bag from Carabelli, and even stayed to help him stretch and warm up before practice began.
To most onlookers, it was a heartwarming moment. To Federer, it was something completely unexpected.
“The first time I’ve seen someone like this,” Federer remarked in Italian during a live interview with a broadcaster. Then, half-joking but half-serious, he added, “An idiot… because you usually think of your own game, not your opponent’s.” The comment drew laughter from the crowd, but also sparked a wave of online chatter. Was Federer praising Shelton, mocking him, or both?
When Shelton was informed of Federer’s remark, he smiled and shrugged. His response was simple, but it hit a nerve with tennis fans across America:
“I didn’t think much of it, I saw him in trouble so I came to help.”
The line instantly went viral, celebrated as a sign of humility and class. Social media in the U.S. lit up with praise, with fans calling Shelton “a true gentleman” and “the kind of role model tennis needs.”
Carabelli himself was touched by the gesture. After his training session, he found Shelton in the players’ lounge, clapped him on the back, and said with a grin, “If you keep doing this, you’ll never have any rivals!” The two shared a laugh, and witnesses said Shelton’s easygoing personality made the moment even more genuine.
As for Federer, he later clarified his comment on Swiss television. “I meant it in the nicest way,” he said. “In today’s competitive tennis, you rarely see someone helping a rival like that. It’s unusual, almost naïve — but in a beautiful way.”
The incident, brief as it was, became one of the most talked-about stories of the tournament, overshadowing several big-name match results. It wasn’t about forehands or aces, but about respect and humanity — values that fans and players alike are eager to see more of.
