NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 7, 2025

Ben Shelton

Quick Quotes

B. SHELTON/ T. Fritz

6-4, 6-3

Q. Can you tell us what the game plan tonight was?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think for me it was about keeping him moving, keeping him off balance. Mixing up the way that I play, but playing within my limits, and being really solid. He makes a lot of balls, he hits a big ball, and if he's on his front foot all the time he's a tough guy to beat. So that was my plan, and my execution was really, really good tonight.

Q. This tournament has been a stepping stone for players in previous years, like Jannik Sinner. What would adding a Masters 1000 title mean to you?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, it's huge. Talked about how the Masters were the one level of tournaments that I've been struggling with, and my next step is being able to excel in these tournaments. So taking that first step and getting my first deep run under my belt is exciting.

Q. What have you been most impressed about with your game through this tournament?

BEN SHELTON: For me, just resilience. Tonight things were easier, because everything was clicking. But the bigger wins are the wins where everything's not clicking. Finding a way to get through those tough matches where I'm down a break in the third, or the other guy's serving for the match where I could be out of the tournament, those are the ones that are really special for me.

Q. How do you stay focused when you have to wait three hours for the other game to finish and then the delay?

BEN SHELTON: I'm cool. I don't mind when there's a lot of time. For me, I struggle a bit more if I'm rushed. That's why I warm up really early. At Grand Slams I always give myself at least three hours. Here I've been doing that, giving myself at least three hours.

Actually, playing late in the night, it helps me a lot, and, yeah, I've enjoyed the schedule. Although the sleep schedule is very shifted.

Q. You out-pointed Taylor 10 to 4 in the rallies that were nine shots or more. How much pride do you take in winning those longer rallies?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, playing back-to-back guys like Demon and Taylor, and having so much success in the long rallies like the stats showed, is a big confidence builder for me. Last night I did it with a little bit more slower, off-pace stuff. Today I had more of my higher-end, attacking tennis. Yeah, I'm really happy that I kind of showed that, depending upon matchup who I'm playing, I can do both.

Q. Can you walk us through that rally where you took the 4-2 lead in the second set, you got that break, and how difficult is it to lob it like that on the backhand over a 6'-5" opponent?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I hit a pretty good dropshot, so he was close to the net. The ball sat up a little bit, so that made it easier. For me, that's a shot since I've been a kid I've always been really good at. With the better and better that I hit my backhand, the more versatile I become with it.

I've been hitting it pretty well, with top spin, changing heights, going high sometimes over the net, flattening some out and hitting them low. I think it makes it a lot easier to hit a shot like that when you have been varying the shot height.

Q. How do you feel you match up with Karen tomorrow?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, it's a tough match. He's been playing really, really good tennis this whole week. We played earlier this year, it was in Indian Wells, it was a tough match. He's rock solid baseliner, serves really well, and great competitor. So, I love him, really nice guy, and really looking forward for that first opportunity in a Masters final.