US OPEN

September 3, 2023

Ben Shelton

Flash interview

B. SHELTON/T. Paul

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

Q. What a match. How do you feel right now?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I'm really excited. Definitely on Cloud 9 after a match like that. Really happy to be through to the final eight. Definitely a dream for me since I have been a kid. Just playing here at the US Open, but to go through the draw the way that I have and have the opportunity to play in the quarterfinals is pretty cool.

Q. You had a great start with two sets to love up, and then losing the third set in such a way, then holding your nerves and emotions in the fourth set with 3-All and 4-3, how did you feel and how did you handle that?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think it's really important that your team around you, the people in your box aren't panicking. When I saw that they were calm and they thought I was doing things the right way and I was playing well and ready to keep going, I took a lot of confidence from that.

That kind of kept me going throughout that fourth set, and I knew that I had what I needed to win the match.

Q. Based on that, what do you think was the key today to beat Tommy? What worked for you and what didn't?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I think the key for me was making sure that I played within myself. I didn't try to play too well or be too perfect or think that I had to be too good or hit the ball too hard to try to win that match.

I think that the more that I slowed things down, you know, changed up speeds and just kind of stayed calm and confident in my game style and didn't try to extend myself outside of what I have, I think that was the biggest part for me to get over the line.