By Richard Pagliaro Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Image source: European Open Facebook
The strained calf limped Felix Auger-Aliassime in his Turin opener.
Auger-Aliassime kept his hopes alive in Turin today with smooth serves, whips and powerful finishing kicks.
Auger-Aliassime hits a series of forehands to break serve in the final game Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, tying his ATP Finals round-robin record in the Bjorn Borg group to 1-1.
In meditative poses, Auger-Aliassime would sometimes briefly close his eyes and then return, as if entering his inner muse. After winning an explosive battle, Auger-Aliassime let out a primal scream of success as he won his 20th decisive match of the year and first in Turin since defeating Rafael Nadal at the 2022 ATP Finals.
“There’s a lot at stake today; there’s a lot of firepower,” Auger-Aliassime told reporters. Prakash Amritraj of Tennis Channel during his on-field interview. “Indoors, you know what he’s capable of, winning games on this type of surface. So I knew what to expect, but I backed myself to stay calm under pressure, stay disciplined and make the right choices.
“When it comes down to the last few points of every match, I just want to play the right game at the right time. Don’t get excited, don’t get emotional. If the match is going on and I don’t get any chances, I just sit back, relax and focus on holding my serve.”
Auger-Aliassime, who hit 80 percent of his serves, defeated the big-serving Shelton 9-7 and won 14 of 19 second-serve points in a tense 2 hours and 25 minutes of testing.
World No. 2 Yannick Sinner beat Auger-Aliassime in his opening match and is guaranteed a spot in the semi-finals if he defeats two-time former champion Alexander Zverev in tonight’s round-robin match. Auger-Aliassime improved his 2025 record to 49-23, including 16-4 indoors.
Shelton, competing in his first ATP Finals, fought hard to save 5 of 7 break points, including 4 of 5 in the decider, and scored some key winners on serve and volley.
Ultimately, Auger-Aliassime showed more composure and purpose in key points. In the closing stages, Shelton inexplicably continued to target the Canadian’s stronger forehand wing and hit a lob to face the second match point. Maybe Shelton was trying to open up the court and attack Auger-Aliassime’s forehand, trying to get him to guard his weaker backhand wing on the run, but the 6-foot-4 Canadian did a great job guarding the baseline without giving up much court, defending his backhand with a hook on the stretch, and in addition to the nerves in the tiebreaker, his forehand attack was also convincing.
It all added up to a hard-fought victory that kept Auger-Aliassime’s semifinal hopes alive ahead of his final round-robin match against Zverev. Auger-Aliassime knocked out three top 15 seeds in a row at the U.S. Open in September — Zverev, Andrei Rublev and Alex De Minaur — before falling to Sinner in four sets in the Flushing Meadows semifinals for the second time.
Auger-Aliassime has compiled a 19-3 record in tiebreakers since early August and has reached the quarterfinals or better in six straight tournaments, including the Brussels final and the Rolex Paris Masters. The Canadian attributes his late-season surge to clarity and meditation.
“Obviously, a lot of breathing, meditation, staying as calm as possible under pressure,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Just having a clear mind. You know, I think we’re all human and when emotions kick in, at some point you’re going to see some blurry stuff. If you can keep your head clear, I think that’s when you play your best.
“Sometimes I’m able to do that. It doesn’t always go the way you want, but at least you don’t regret it. If I can do that: clarify my game plan and continue to execute it well, then I won’t have any regrets when I leave the court.”
In a close service battle, the break in the first set was largely of their own making.
The U.S. Open semifinalist sabotaged herself in the fourth game. Auger-Aliassime, who led by 30 points, made three consecutive turnovers, including a routine volley at the top of the net. This gave Shelton a break point. The southpaw hit a forehand back from the baseline to break serve and firmly shouted “Come on!” to make it 3-1.
Shelton scored 8 points in a row and established a 4-1 lead.
On serve, the fifth seed tried to attack – including two service-volleys on second serve – but some poor volleys left him on double break point. Shelton’s short volley didn’t go far enough, and Auger-Aliassime responded with a pass in the ninth.
In the tenth game, the Canadian returned to serve, but squandered his good fortune with a double fault and an errant forehand that tangled up in Shelton’s backhand winner. The sequence left Auger-Aliassime in a set-point dilemma.
Shelton fought back quickly and after recovering, hit a forehand winner from the baseline to break serve for the second time and take a set lead after 36 minutes.
Although Auger-Aliassime was hitting 80 percent of his serves, Shelton allowed him to win eight of his 20 first-serve points in the opener.
The server remained in command throughout the second set until the eighth game. Auger-Aliassime fired a high backhand volley, but Shelton knocked it down and converted a forehand pass for break point.
Auger-Aliassime served hard from the T to erase the score, then saved the only break point of the set with a forehand winner to tie the score at 4.
Volleying doesn’t need to be that good😮💨@benshelton #NittoATP Finals pic.twitter.com/uGZJL3wC9F
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 12, 2025
Shelton successfully used serve and volley in the second serve to chase the score to 6-5. Auger-Aliassime responded with his second-set love hold to force a crucial second-set tiebreaker.
As the most successful player in ATP tie-breaks this season, Auger-Aliassime achieved a 30-14 tie-break record in today’s second set decider.
Shelton scored with a volley and immediately gave up the mini-break. Auger-Aliassim hit an ace. The American then landed on his left knee while trying to change direction, giving Auger-Aliassime a 5-2 lead. Shelton looked a little weak when he scored a few points, but after falling behind 6-4, he saved the first set point when his opponent’s forehand went into the net, and then saved the second set point with an errant pass.
Auger-Aliassime looked nervous as he hit a forehand into the center of the net on his third set point, but won the fourth set point when Shelton hit a forehand.
Our level👀@felixtennis Converting the fourth set point, sending us into the decider!#NittoATP Finals pic.twitter.com/8aCyNqTNVe
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 12, 2025
In the end, the tension of the tie-break dogged the Americans. Shelton’s second double fault went wide, and Auger-Aliassime forced the final set after 98 minutes to end a dramatic match.
In the deciding set, Shelton increased the speed of his serve, while Auger-Aliassime’s serve was almost unmatched. He scored 24 points out of 28 service points and did not face a break point.
The Canadian had a double break point in the fourth game when Shelton hit a forehand into the net. Shelton hit back with two devastating serves, including a 146-mile-per-hour missile, to save break point and ultimately keep the set at two.
At the net, Auger-Aliassime won 12 consecutive service points before recovering from a 30-point deficit in the 11th game. Auger-Aliassime made a series of errors on his forehand, bringing the score to 30 points, 6-5.
Scoreboard pressure and rough shot selection cost Shelton in Game 12. It was as if he was trying to catch Auger-Aliassime’s forehand with his left hand, catching his opponent off guard.
This strategy didn’t work out very well in the end. Shelton saved the first match point with a brave second serve deflection and missed the second with a crackling ace.
Challenging the Canadian’s forehand, Shelton paid the price, seeing an inside-out forehand rocket away for a third match point. In the ensuing confrontation, Auger-Aliassime seized control with his forehand and never let go, causing the last forehand error, ending this high-quality game that lasted 2 hours and 25 minutes.
