NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 2, 2025

Ben Shelton

Quick Quotes

B. SHELTON/B. Nakashima

6-7, 6-2, 7-6

Q. Where do you think you need to improve in terms of the tiebreaks?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think I struggled a little bit on the grass, especially with first-serve percentage, struggling with making first serves, and backing up my second serve, because I was struggling on return points, so it put a lot of pressure.

But I think the way that I've been able to steal points off other guys' first serve and second serve, and kind of be able to put myself ahead and in a controlling position in a tiebreaker is huge.

Q. What would you say about when he saved those two match points, and being able to come back from that after that, after you held serve?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, it's tough. Definitely something that you think about, especially because the ball's on my racquet, right, it's second serves. I put one of the two returns in play, I had a few forehands on match points that I sprayed a little bit. But it's not easy on a night like this, where there's wind, where the guy's serving well, and you know the chances are few and far between, a little bit of nerves, it's difficult.

So, to be able to, one, hold serve after that, and put myself in a position to be in the tiebreaker and give myself a chance to win, and then execute it in the end was huge for me.

Q. What does a match like this do for your confidence going forward in the tournament?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, it's huge. I thought I played great tennis. I thought he played great tennis. It was a high-level match. A lot of positives to take away.

So, whenever you get through a nail biter like that there's positives and negatives. If you don't play well, at least you got to feel that tension, the nervousness, the pressure. But when you do play well and you come through a match like that it's even better.

Q. How has your serve improved throughout the year?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I've been a little bit more loose on my serve. I gave myself some room to make some errors, air it out a little bit. I've been really aggressive early with my serving. I felt like I surprised guys from the jump with my serve, the way that I'm coming after their body, and I think it makes it difficult to get in a rhythm on return.

Q. With the energy tonight, I know this court suits your game, but clearly you played really, really well here, even two years ago. Talk about just about the experience tonight and playing in front of this crowd.

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, it's great. I think this is an amazing stadium. It's pretty cool that I played my first match at 12:30, I played last match until, I don't know what time it is.

Q. 11:30.

BEN SHELTON: 11:30? I feel like it was a great crowd both times. For me, just seeing that energy around the court, no matter the time. People, you know, are either skipping work or having an off day and coming to the match, or spending their late night on a Friday here is cool for me and something I can appreciate, for sure.