NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 5, 2025

Ben Shelton

Quick Quotes

B. SHELTON/A. de Minaur

6-3, 6-4

Q. (Question off microphone.)

BEN SHELTON: I thought I played really well. I stayed calm and composed, didn't panic in the long rallies, which is really important against a guy like Demon.

Q. Can you speak to the long rallies. I think you won most of the points in nine or more shots. What did you see there that allowed you to have success?

BEN SHELTON: I thought I was playing a little bit within my limits. I wasn't pressing, which Demon feasts off unforced errors, other guys overplaying, because he is so fast and moves so well and hits great shots to counter punch on the run. So for me it was really important to just stay solid. Yeah, I played really good tennis, especially towards the end of those points.

Q. General question about yourself and American tennis. I asked Taylor Fritz the same question. It's been more than 20 years since the last time that an American player won a Grand Slam in men's tennis. Especially now with US Open coming, and knowing that you can be one of these guys, is that pressure or motivation?

BEN SHELTON: No pressure, definitely motivation. I have no doubt that one of us is going to get it at some point. Who knows who it is, you guys just got to wait and see. I think American tennis is in a really good place.

Q. Your thoughts on playing Taylor in tomorrow's quick turnaround?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, really excited. I played him kind of right when I came out on tour. We had a great battle in Indian Wells. I never played him in the later stages of a tournament, that was the first or second round. I'm really excited. He's a big-match player. He's been carrying the flag for the United States in the big tournaments as of late. And, yeah, he's clutch, serves well. We're great friends, and it's a match that I'm really excited about.

Q. Quick turnaround, you've been playing every other day, what's the process to get ready for tomorrow?

BEN SHELTON: Same ole, same ole. Eat, eat, stretch, get treatment, sleep until 11:00 tomorrow. I know I'm playing a night match, I don't have to stress about earlier in the day, and go back to work.

Q. You're playing the mixed doubles with Taylor Townsend. Curious if you had to beat out any other Americans to be her partner, and also, you guys made a run to the semifinals a couple years ago, what do you remember about that?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, she's the best female doubles player in the world. She's the best mixed doubles player in the world, in my opinion. I was lucky to get her as a partner. I don't know if anyone else talked to her, she told me that the only person she would play with is me, and I told her that the only person I would play with is her.

So I was unsure about playing the week before the US Open, the pre-week is really busy, it's a difficult week, a lot of responsibilities. But I'm excited, and ultimately, when I saw the list of all the top players who wanted to play, it was something I wanted to be a part of.

Q. Your return game this year, today you were broken twice...

BEN SHELTON: Three times.

Q. Three times. Chipping and blocking, has that been an emphasis for you this year?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think versatility on the return is really important, and every guy's different. Each of the guys that I played this tournament I had to have a very different return style and plan of attack. And I executed really well tonight, I took away the things that I needed to take away, I played the odds, and I was solid.