Félix Auger-Aliassime clinches comeback win vs. Ben Shelton at ATP Finals
Canadian tennis player Félix Auger-Aliassime delivered a thrilling three-set victory over Ben Shelton on Wednesday, keeping his hopes alive in the Björn Borg round-robin group of the ATP Finals. The match ended 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, marking Auger-Aliassime’s first ATP Finals win in three years.
The eighth seed, returning to Turin for the first time since 2022, produced a performance reflecting the ups and downs of his own career. He captured a tense second-set tiebreak and broke serve late in the third to overcome the fifth-seeded American after two hours and 25 minutes of play.
“It was a rollercoaster,” said Auger-Aliassime after the match. “It was the type of match where both players give everything, and only one can win. The margins were really small in the second and third sets—a huge battle.”
Both players entered the match at 0–1 in group play, with Auger-Aliassime falling previously to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Shelton losing to No. 3 Alexander Zverev. Shelton appeared close to victory when he earned a break point in the ninth game of the second set, but Auger-Aliassime fought back, saving key points and recovering from a lost lead in the tiebreak to push the contest to a deciding set.
“I have a lot of respect for Ben and everything he does,” Auger-Aliassime said. “It was a pleasure to share the court with him and play with such high emotions on every point.”
Match summary
- Score: 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5
- Duration: 2 hours and 25 minutes
- Tournament: ATP Finals, Björn Borg group
- Location: Turin, Italy
Author’s summary: Félix Auger-Aliassime staged a gritty comeback against Ben Shelton, seizing a vital three-set win to stay alive in the ATP Finals group stage.