Tennis superstar Roger Federer celebrated his US Open advancement to the quarter finals at the weekend by serving an autographed ball direct to the wife of a Bermuda Tourism Authority board member.

Kimberley Caines-Best, a barrister married to BTA board member Joseph Best, was picked out of thousands at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queen’s, New York by the 20-time Grand Slam Swiss star after the US Open match.

Mr Best said Ms Caines-Best’s moment came after an interviewer asked Federer to hit a signed ball to someone in the crowd.

He picked Ms Caines-Best, who was holding up a purple towel high in the stands, and delivered the serve with spot-on precision.

Mr Best said: “At the end of the game, the interviewer asked Roger if he could hit any target with his signed ball.

“Hearing this, Kimberley started waving the towel ...

“Roger saw her, and said, ‘I will hit the ball to the lady with the purple towel’.

“He hit the signed ball towards her with exact precision — and we now have an awesome souvenir to remember this weekend.”

Mr Best added he and his wife got a taste of tennis celebrity status after she caught the ball. He explained: “Afterwards, so many people came up to us to take pictures of us and the ball. It was amazing.”

Mr Best was speaking after Federer beat Belgian David Goffin 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 on Sunday.

A BTA booth was set up at the event and Bermuda branding was prominent after the authority signed a multiyear deal with the United States Tennis Association to be the US Open’s exclusive tourism partner.

The collaboration will also see a new tournament in Bermuda next spring, which will feature a pro-am event as well as exhibitions with tennis legends and up-and-coming American players.