F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/B. Shelton
4-6, 7-6, 7-5
THE MODERATOR: Ben, sorry. One really tough match and battle. Can you analyze the match for us.
BEN SHELTON: Yeah, a tough one that I was in control of, for sure. I didn't feel like I was doing everything great, but I thought I was competing well.
I got to give credit to Felix. I thought he did a lot of things great today. I thought he served really well. I thought the way he hit the ball from the baseline was really good. First ball after the serve. He was aggressive. Came forward a lot. Executed in the big moments. That's where I didn't execute.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you. First question.
Q. How much of an effect was the knee incident? What did you actually do? Did you jar your left knee? How is it now?
BEN SHELTON: It's fine, yeah. I don't know. I think it should be okay. It was just one of those where, like, hit it really hard on the ground. It hurt really bad for the next 10, 15 minutes.
I wasn't about to stop and call the trainer, then come back and try to serve down a mini break and stay in the set. I just kept going. Maybe adrenaline. But I didn't feel it at all through the whole third set.
Q. Back to your first match when you walked on court, you had this really nice moment with the kid that he'll have with him for the rest of his life. Obviously you're focused on the results, but how nice is it to know that you have an impact no matter what happens on the court?
BEN SHELTON: I think regardless of who he walked out with, he was going to hit those dance moves (smiling).
But no, it's cool. I love being able to inspire the next generation. The young kids that you can have an influence on are the fans that I really love to see excited about the tennis.
That's cool to see the fan base that we have in our sport get younger and younger. Yeah, that was a really special moment, for sure (smiling).
Anytime I have interaction with kids at tournaments or practices, wherever it is, that are excited, it makes me happy.
Q. Season's not over yet. Still one match. You have a few chances to get through. How would you rate this 2025 season from 1 to 10? Also, is there one thing for the next season you want to improve, something that you will work on? What would you pick?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I guess if I rated it 1 to 10, maybe an 8 out of 10, 7 or 8. I made huge improvements and strides from the year before.
What I've done kind of post US Open I haven't been happy with. But the rhythm that I found in the first three-quarters of the year was really good.
I'm a guy that I get into a really good rhythm when I'm playing a lot of matches. I had a lot of clarity this summer on how to play: shot tolerance, what shots to play at certain times. Had a lot of clarity on what my identity was on the court, how I was going to win, my winning formula. Still searching for that a little bit right now.
These last four tournaments of the year - Shanghai, Basel, Paris, here - have been more difficult for me trying to find that 'wow' feeling that all the guys that I have played have been in form and playing great tennis, competing well. Just certain things that feel very off that at this point of the year it's, like, can't be happening.
For me this week, it's been my forehand, which usually is a money shot for me, money-maker. First ball after the serve, things that have been a little off that make it disappointing.
A lot of things to be happy about this season.
Q. You saved the first match point on a massive serve on the second serve. If I read well the stats, you're one of the guys, you hit hard your second ball pretty often. Do you think it's a trend that more and more risk is taken on the second serve on the tour? If yes, do you feel that you are part of it? Is it something you want to do, to have a second serve powerful maybe like Nick?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I mean, I think it's something that I've always done since I was young. I used to hit a lot more double-faults and actually be more aggressive on my second serve because I wanted to get a free point on the first serve and second serve.
That's always kind of been my mentality, a more aggressive mentality, whenever I'm serving, whether it is first or second, to have an advantage. I think that's the mindset for some guys and it isn't for others.
Yeah, I think if you look at the guys in the top 10 right now, a lot of guys who go after the second serve have fast second serves that are difficult to deal with. Whether it's Felix or Sinner or Zverev, there's definitely a few.
Q. Here you have suffered two big losses. You had many chances. What do you take away from this first experience here at the ATP Finals? How nice finally would it be to come back home?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I got kind of a big break after the US Open, so I'm not feeling too homesick. Just excited to be here, the opportunity. Like you said, not the best so far week for me. Obviously that is frustrating and disappointing, being as big of a tournament as it is.
Historically I haven't been the person who's come to a new place, a new tournament, and just been outstanding right away. I think there's a bit of a learning curve everywhere you go. Different tournament, different atmosphere, different format that I never played in, obviously playing the best players in the world.
For me it's just go back to work regardless of how things end here. Be proud about the season that I had and the things that I accomplished. Let the things sting that I wasn't able to accomplish and that I fell short on. Just be motivation for me for next year.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports