During his first-round match at the 2024 Swiss Indoors, Ben Shelton experienced a lighthearted moment when a fan proposed to him from the stands, recalling the famous proposal Steffi Graf received during her 1996 Wimbledon semifinal. Shelton, who recently competed in the Asian swing, had a strong showing at the Japan Open, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Arthur Fils. He also made it to the fourth round at the Shanghai Masters, where he was defeated by eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
Seeded sixth at the Swiss Indoors, Shelton began his campaign with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The fan’s proposal, “Ben, will you marry me?” came as Etcheverry was preparing to serve, catching Shelton off guard but leading to shared laughter among the crowd.
Shelton will face either wildcard Stan Wawrinka or Adrian Mannarino in the second round. Wawrinka enters the tournament after a semifinal run at the 2024 Stockholm Open, while Mannarino has been competing in various tournaments following the Asian swing, including the Chengdu Open where he reached the quarterfinals. If Shelton meets Wawrinka, it will be their first encounter on the ATP tour. However, if he faces Mannarino, it will be their third match, with Mannarino winning both of their previous meetings, including a five-set thriller at the 2024 Australian Open.