Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime secured a crucial triumph at the ATP Finals by staging a remarkable comeback, defeating Ben Shelton of the United States 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5 in Turin, Italy on Wednesday. This victory leveled Auger-Aliassime’s standing at 1-1 in the prestigious year-end men’s tennis championship.
The 25-year-old Canadian entered the match following a 7-5, 6-1 loss to Italy’s Jannik Sinner, where Auger-Aliassime had to contend with a leg injury that hampered his performance. Despite facing a tough challenge from Shelton and being on the brink of defeat in the second-set tiebreak, Auger-Aliassime showcased resilience to secure the win, marking his fourth comeback from a set down in his last eight matches and extending his unbeaten record against Shelton to 2-0.
Reflecting on his performance, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged Shelton’s strong start, stating, “He was playing much better than me at the start. It’s not often that I get broken twice in the first set indoors.” However, he expressed satisfaction with his ability to adjust and improve as the match progressed, emphasizing the importance of staying focused and fighting for each point.
Auger-Aliassime, known for his prowess in decisive matches, leads the ATP Tour with 20 victories in matches that have gone the distance.
In the upcoming match, Auger-Aliassime is set to face Alexander Zverev, with the opportunity to secure a spot in the semifinals with a win. Meanwhile, Shelton’s defeat against Auger-Aliassime dropped his record to 0-2, eliminating his chances of progressing beyond the group stage. He is scheduled to face Sinner in his final group-stage match.
Sinner, who improved to 2-0, secured a spot in the semifinals by defeating Zverev 6-4, 6-3 later on the same day. Zverev’s record stands at 1-1 following the loss.
Auger-Aliassime, making his second appearance at the ATP Finals, previously caused an upset by defeating Rafael Nadal but fell short of advancing out of the group stage in 2022.
During the match, Shelton initially dominated the first set, securing an early break. However, a critical error while serving for the set allowed Auger-Aliassime to break back, leading to a momentum shift. Shelton, competing in his first ATP Finals, displayed frustration by hitting his racket on the ground, resulting in a code violation warning.
The tightly contested second set saw Shelton saving multiple set points in the tiebreaker, but a crucial double fault by Shelton enabled Auger-Aliassime to level the match. Auger-Aliassime capitalized on the opportunity, maintaining his composure and breaking Shelton in the final game of the decider to clinch the victory on his third match point.