AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2026

Ben Shelton

Press Conference

B. SHELTON/C. Ruud

3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You lost just one net point in four sets, which is pretty crazy against a great mover. How happy are you with that, and how has that part of your game evolved over the years?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think I made a lot of plays today and executed a lot of errors. Volleys I would have missed a while back. But I feel confident in my net play right now. I think I'm making great decisions, so I don't have to overplay.

I think I'm coming in on the right serves, on the right shots, choosing my moments correctly, and I think that's why I'm winning a lot of points. I'm able to get close to the net. I'm able to exploit, you know, when my opponent is pretty far off the baseline and use the drop volley when I need to.

I just thought my decision-making up there was really clean today.

Q. How happy is your dad when you volley well?

BEN SHELTON: Oh, he loves it. I think he would rather me volley well and lose the match than (laughter)...

No, I think that's a part of my game that he's had a massive influence in. Obviously he was a great serve and volleyer. Over the years, he tries, you know, to help me get better and better at it.

Obviously we're in a different age of tennis where the baseliners are so good and what guys can do with the return is ridiculous, so you do have to get creative with what serves you use and what times you serve and volley, because there are certain plays that I know that a lot of guys are just too good in certain areas for me to come up with the goods.

I'm very strategic with what serves I use to serve and volley and where I come in.

Q. So can you take us inside your brain and try and let us know the argument you're going to make to yourself about why Wednesday night can be different than last year here, Wimbledon? How do you do that? How do you convince yourself and believe?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think my game is a lot different. I think the way that I'm executing, one, at the net is going to be a huge advantage to me. I think the way that I'm mixing things up from the baseline is a lot different than a year ago.

I struggled to find my rhythm tonight. You know, it was my first time playing at night since I've been here, and the conditions were completely different. But I got through a tough four-set win, and for the most part since I've been here, I've never hit my forehand this good. I feel like I have great control. I feel like I'm hitting it bigger than I've ever hit it.

I think my return game has improved a lot. A year ago today I wasn't comfortable hitting a forehand return. I didn't put a lot in play. I had to go to the chip a lot to put it in play. And now I'm getting to a point in the match where I feel like I'm lock-down mode, and I can't miss one.

I think that that is a piece that really helps me, because you got to play offensive tennis to beat the best guys. I think that, you know, all those things together are what makes my game a little bit different than where I was at before.

But I think, you know, everyone is working and making improvements all the time.

Q. Then just one more from me on the conditions that you mentioned. Yeah, it was kind of stark to notice how much harder it was for even you to get your ball through the court. How hard is that to adjust to? I imagine you guys are going to be at night on Wednesday, I guess it is. What does that mean?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, we'll see. To be honest, the very first ball change when I got out there today, I mean, sorry, not the first ball change, the first batch of balls that we warmed up with and played the first seven games with were massive. They were this big. They were fluffy. That's something that I hadn't felt since being here. Everything had felt fast. Even the center court feels quicker this year than in previous years.

I just thought, like, the ball has been going. So then after he serves the first game today, I'm about to serve my first game, and I'm looking at the balls, and I'm, like, Whoa.

Then I didn't have my serve locked in. I had a completely different feeling of the ball coming off the racquet. I felt that way until the first ball change. Then after that it seemed a lot more normal, and the balls weren't as big.

I don't know if it was like a one-off, but certainly different conditions playing at night. I'm glad that I have that match under my belt now, because I was able to find a good rhythm.

I don't feel that I played as well as I did in earlier matches in terms of a ball striking perspective, but I think tactically I played a really sound match when it got down to it.

Q. Do you know if you are playing at night for sure? Would you want to play the day?

BEN SHELTON: I think there's advantages to both. Obviously we're here right now. It's 1:00 a.m. That's the advantage to playing at night.

I felt more comfortable in the past here playing during the day. I think it's live. I get a lot of action out of my serve, out of all the shots. But honestly, I've been pretty open. I'm in a really good head space. I got, you know, moved to a different court at a different time tonight, and just kind of took it in stride and found a way to get it done.

My mentality will be the same going into Wednesday. I'm okay with either one.

Q. I was glad to hear you say on court when asked the swagger question that you named Learner. I'm just wondering if you can articulate what you see in him in terms of swagger, because I think a lot of people are seeing him for the first time and appreciating his aura, what he's doing out here.

BEN SHELTON: I've just been really excited seeing Learner and Iva Jovic. Iva trains in Orlando where I'm at. Learner doesn't. But just seeing the progress that he's made. Gosh, I guess I used to think of him as a little guy. He's not little anymore, and he's playing some serious ball. So I'm really excited.

Obviously being a lefty as well, it's fun for me to watch. I think that he plays great tennis tactically. I think he's a great athlete. I think he's just getting better and better.

So I think the Learner Tien, Michael Zheng duo is pretty dangerous and, yeah, just looking forward to seeing where he ends up at the end of the year.