Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime secured a vital win at the ATP Finals by staging a remarkable comeback to defeat Ben Shelton of the United States with a scoreline of 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5 in Turin, Italy. This victory leveled Auger-Aliassime’s performance at 1-1 in the prestigious year-end men’s tennis competition.
Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old Canadian player, entered the match after suffering a 7-5, 6-1 loss to Italy’s Jannik Sinner. Despite facing a tough challenge from the defending champion and struggling with a leg injury during the match, Auger-Aliassime displayed resilience and fought back from a set down, marking his fourth comeback in the last eight matches. He managed to improve his head-to-head record against Shelton to 2-0.
Reflecting on the match, Auger-Aliassime admitted Shelton’s strong start but highlighted his own ability to adapt and find his rhythm as the game progressed. He credited his determination, belief, and strategic play for turning the match in his favor.
With this win, Auger-Aliassime’s tally of 20 victories in matches that go to the deciding set leads the ATP Tour rankings. Shelton, on the other hand, faced a setback with a 0-2 record and will not progress beyond the group stage. His final group-stage match will be against Sinner.
In the upcoming fixture, Auger-Aliassime is set to take on Alexander Zverev, with a chance to secure a spot in the semifinals with a victory over the German player. Meanwhile, Sinner secured his place in the semifinals with a convincing 6-4, 6-3 win against Zverev.
Auger-Aliassime’s participation in the ATP Finals marks his second appearance at the event. In 2022, he caused an upset by defeating Rafael Nadal but fell short in advancing from his group after losing his other two matches.
During the match, Shelton initially dominated the first set, securing an early break. However, a crucial mistake while serving for the set allowed Auger-Aliassime to break back, leading to a shift in momentum. Despite Shelton’s efforts, Auger-Aliassime maintained his composure and eventually clinched the victory in a hard-fought battle, breaking Shelton in the final game of the deciding set.