B. SHELTON/Z Bergs
6-3, 6-2
Q. Game still fresh in your memory, did that go as well as you expected?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. It went well. I mean, can't say that you always expect to go on the court and win 3 and 2. I mean, I think that I always think there's going to be some kind of hiccup or problem, troubles, tough games when you go out on court.
Yeah, the outcome was really good today, but I don't think the score tells the whole story.
Q. Do you think being eliminated quickly at Wimbledon and having the transition happen in Washington and not Montreal helps you this tournament?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. For me, I've gone deep in Wimbledon. I've lost early, and I've always played D.C. It's a good week for me to warm up, get things going, and three tournaments before the US Open is the right amount for me.
Q. Making waves on social media with your (indiscernible). Didn't seem too pleased about your serving game, despite how it went.
BEN SHELTON: No. Just said I could do better. It was good. I just said I could do better.
Q. 16 aces, no double faults and you could do better?
BEN SHELTON: Eight aces. So, yes, well below my average in aces. I spot served well today. I could have done a better job with my slider, in my opinion. Hit the flat serve really well. And first serve percentage was good. But, yeah, like I said, could be better, could be worse.
Q. And after the match, even though it's pretty hot, you wanted to go and hit some balls again.
BEN SHELTON: No. I mean, I think for me it's good sometimes, especially when you have a day off tomorrow, to be able to put in the work today and take tomorrow a little bit lighter. I'll still practice, for sure, but nice to just go out and work on a few things while I'm still warm and it's fresh on my mind.
Q. Are you enjoying Montreal?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. I love it here.
Q. First back-to-back wins in a 1000 this year. What do you attribute that to?
BEN SHELTON: Crazy.
Q. I know. It is.
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. I've had a weird year at the 1000s. It's been difficult for me, but these two tournaments over the summer I always play well at.
I think that, for me, you know, losing so early at the 1000s the way I did early in the year was more flukey. And I think that the way these tournaments are set up, especially the hard court events, there's no reason that I shouldn't be able to make some runs at these tournaments.
It's something that I struggled with a lot early in my career, adjusting to having the day off. But I do feel really comfortable at these tournaments now, and, yeah, glad to break that that I was going through this year.
Q. Having won the tournament last year, do you hope to build a lasting legacy of having success here in Canada?
BEN SHELTON: I think it would be great. I think it's one of the tougher tournaments to be consistent at, because it switches location each year.
But for me, it's huge. Obviously being my first Masters 1000 title, it's always going to be a special tournament being here and a really cool experience that I had here last year. So, yeah, I would say so.
Q. With the other top seeds out, do you feel like the crowd is even more behind you than it was maybe last year at the beginning of the tournament in Toronto?
BEN SHELTON: No. I wouldn't say that. I think it was probably similar. I think that the crowd usually supports me pretty well here. That's just the case in North America most of the time. But I definitely feel the love here, as I did in Toronto last year as well.
Q. May I ask you who is Taylor?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. It's a young girl that's a big fan of my girlfriend, who is sick. She has cancer, and I met her last week. But, yeah.
Q. You're awaiting Fonseca or Ruud, two completely different players. What do you expect of one or the other that you know of?
BEN SHELTON: I don't know. I think it will be a great match between the two. They played a great match at the French Open as well. Fonseca more of a flat ball hitter, I would say.
Casper playing with a lot more spin; guys that I play with, practice with. Great players. I think it will be a good match tonight, and I'll be watching.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports