Roger Federer shows true colours with major Wimbledon snub

Roger Federer opted to skip former client Alexander Zverev's Wimbledon match , choosing instead to sit on the smaller Court 1.

Zverev was up against Britain's Cameron Norrie in the opening play on Wimbledon 's Centre Court on Saturday. However, eight-time champion Federer decided to attend the continuation of Ben Shelton's match with Denis Shapovalov.

The German tennis ace was previously signed to Federer's TEAM8 management agency, but they parted ways in January 2021.

• Irish village near Dublin has a spectacular beach, a breathtaking castle and vibrant pubs
• King Charles III enjoys incredible driving privilege - but Prince Harry will never be able to

Federer has been a regular presence at the All England Club all week, relishing his new role as a spectator. His wife was spotted watching Jannik Sinner's match against Matteo Berrettini on Wednesday night, and their twin boys have also been seen in the stands.

But it was only when the third-round clash between Shelton and Shapovalov resumed on Court 1, after being rained off at 3-2 in the first set the previous day, that Federer himself made an appearance. He was seen sitting next to fellow retired player Tim Henman, who also sits on the AELTC board.

• Target joins Aldi, Whole Foods and other stores no longer taking popular payment form
• Security guard caught jamming out to Taylor Swift brings 'pure joy' to Dublin fans

It was a surprising choice given that No. 4 seed Zverev was taking on home favourite Norrie on the main show court, with their match starting half an hour later than the resumption of Shelton vs Shapovalov.

Zverev was previously represented by TEAM8, the agency co-founded by the Swiss star. The Olympic champion signed on with the Federer-backed company in mid-2019 following a dispute with his previous manager.

For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here .

Less than two years later, he confirmed his departure from TEAM8's books, also parting ways with former coach David Ferrer around the same time. The world No. 4 has also competed at the Laver Cup -Federer's brainchild tournament - on four occasions and will join Team Europe again this year in Berlin.

However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion chose not to watch Zverev face Norrie in the third round on Saturday. It was the right decision from Federer - Shelton and Shapovalov went into a decisive fifth set with the American winning 6-7(4) 6-2 6-4 4-6 6-2.

Meanwhile, Zverev won in straight sets 6-4 6-4 7-6(15) despite raising concerns when he fell on the court and crashed into the umpire's chair.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .