B. SHELTON/J. Mensik
6-3, 6-1
THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Ben Shelton. Ben, you played an amazing match today. Can you please give us your thoughts on what you thought of your game?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. It was a great night for me. I think days like this when everything is clicking is a little bit easier. In terms of mentality out on the court, I think that it's a lot tougher on the days where you have things that you're struggling with or problems on your side of the net that are difficult to solve.
I think that tonight I was able to more so dissect what was happening on the other side of the court and find ways to be effective, and I executed really well tonight.
Q. Pretty impressive performance tonight. Overall this week is it the match that you're most satisfied of?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. Yeah, I think so. I think that the way that I returned, the focus that I had from start to finish, how consistent I was able to be, getting into his service games and not getting broken myself, it was my most complete performance so far this week. So, yeah, I'd say it's the best one this week so far.
Q. You say you felt really confident. At what point did that realization sink in into that game? Was it the first break? Was it right before the game started in terms of your sensations?
BEN SHELTON: No. I knew from the first point, first or second point where we had like a 20-ball rally that I was seeing it pretty well. But obviously I thought that in that first game he played really well, too. So I thought it was going to be a war, a slug fest.
But I kind of knew going in that I was feeling it. Had a great warmup today and felt like I was seeing the ball pretty big from the beginning of my warmup.
Q. Ben, you haven't lost a single set so far this week. What do you feel is working for you here in Canada basically? Because you won last year, is there something about this tournament that works well for you?
BEN SHELTON: I think it's a combination of the court and the balls. It's a slow hard court, but it bounces really high. Makes my serve really effective, but also I feel like gives me time to create and generate with my ground strokes.
I think that a combination of all those things makes me difficult to play, especially if I'm returning well and able to get into the other guy's service game.
I felt a lot of the same things in Toronto last year. I think that the courts play pretty similar, which is great. And, yeah, I think it's kind of a cumulation.
Q. Jess Pegula had a lot of success this year. You won last year. Being in the semis, are you guys taking over the country? Like are you winning all our tournaments now?
BEN SHELTON: What was the first name you said?
Q. Jessica Pegula.
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. I wouldn't say that at all. That's a crazy statement.
Super happy for her, good friend, and I think that she's one of the most dangerous hard court players, 100 percent year in, year out. Always a contender at the US Open.
But, yeah, that's a crazy question.
Q. Ben, you were talking earlier, I can't remember if it was in D.C. or not, just how the early rounds have felt a little bit trappy for you this year. How is the feeling different once you have a couple matches under you? Like does the second week of a major, of a 1000 feel different for you now in your mind and your body at all? I also wanted to ask you about Rafa Jodar's game. I know you haven't played him. I wonder if you've watched him and what stands out to you there.
BEN SHELTON: Yeah. First of all, I think that I'm definitely big-match player. I love playing big matches, big stadiums, big crowds. I like playing against the best guys in the world. To be honest, I like going into a match as an underdog. Something I enjoy.
I think that I'm learning better and better how to deal with these early rounds or, you know, dealing with a match coming in as not a favorite, but more or less a top guy with a target on your back, I think, is something that every player has to learn to deal with.
Coming out against guys who are swinging big, playing free, I think that that's something that is a big piece for me.
And I've been super impressed with Rafa the way that he's come out on tour. I didn't expect there to be another college guy within three years who was 500 in the world and then Top 20 within a year. He's probably going to be Top 10 and outdo me, or what I did in 2023.
I think that he's got a great game, complete game, good athlete, forehand, backhand, return, up there with the best in the world.
I was super entertained all three times by him and Arthur's matchups this year. And they're hitting the ball incredible from the baseline.
So I'm super happy for him, and yeah, excited to see his trajectory and what he does in the next 18 months.
Q. Ben, congrats on the win. If Learner wins tonight, there might be three Americans in the semifinals. Is that something that you care about, that you find cool? And do you prefer facing a player that you might know a little bit more like him or does it change at all for you whenever you face a player you know pretty well or one that you might face for the first time?
BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I mean obviously I've played both these guys before. I've played Learner twice, Merida once.
I'm super supportive of all the American players at all times, and I've really enjoyed being able to see how many guys that we've had have success.
You know, it's not just been one or two, but we've kind of spread the wealth around, between Taylor, Foe, Tommy, Sebi, Nakashima, Learner, Michelsen, so many guys who have made deep runs, and I think that it's just really cool to see the direction that our country is going in terms of tennis.
I think we have a lot of young guys, too, with a lot of potential that people don't really know yet. But I would be super excited to play either one of these guys, young guys, playing great tennis.
Merida just got his first title, I think. And Learner over the last year and a half has established himself as one of the best players and one of the best baseliners on tour. So two completely different matchups, but be looking forward to either one of them.
Q. You said you preferred to be the not overlooked, underrated?
BEN SHELTON: Underdog.
Q. Yeah. Underdog. But you wrote on the lens "not done yet." What's the goal in Montreal and do you feel at this point with the semifinals coming that you've got the target on your back?
BEN SHELTON: I don't think I'm really looking at it at all from that perspective. I think that there's so much more to gain being here.
Obviously I think that my tennis has gotten better and better with each match that I've played, and that's the coolest thing about these events is you have the opportunity to run with, to continue to build on your game and improve night in, night out.
So to be back here tomorrow, have some continuity now, playing back-to-back days I think is great for my level, for my game, and yeah, just looking forward to try to improve tomorrow.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports