AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2025

Ben Shelton

Press Conference

B. SHELTON/L. Sonego

6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Ben. This was your third career quarterfinal at Grand Slam. You're through to your second semifinal. I'm sure you don't want to stop there. How proud are you of your consistency and big results at the majors?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, really happy. I'm not sure this is what I expected when my career started. Honestly, as a kid, once I stopped playing football, I was always a little bit heavy. Not fat, but just, like, heavy, carrying a lot of weight. I always struggled physically. I would get deep in matches and I'd be cramping or tired and have no energy left.

For me to be able to handle the physicality of five sets. I saw a stat, I think I'm 24 and 8 in the Grand Slams that I have gotten direct acceptance to, which is nine. I think I've played nine.

For me it's really special to be playing at these big tournaments and playing my best tennis at the big tournaments.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I think it was 'battle tested' on the camera after the match today. Is that how you felt?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, 100%. There are some things I didn't do great out there today. I probably had one of my -- my team was telling me -- one of my worst serving days.

I just had to fight. I mean, for the first two sets I think we were both trying to find our games a little bit. Obviously I haven't spent too much time on that court. The wind was swirling. I was joking with my team. The first time hitting on that court in the last two years was the five-minute warmup.

So everything takes a little bit of time getting used to. After the first two sets I thought he raised his level a lot. For me it felt like he was hitting winners on everything. He was making a lot of first serves. He was hitting lines with the first serve spots, serving great. Yeah, started lighting it up from the ground, putting a lot of pressure coming to the net.

So I was just grinding out there, trying to fight through it. Yeah, I'm just proud of myself to get through. Definitely feel battle-tested and able to get done in four, yeah.

Q. It's your second Grand Slam semifinal, but you worked a lot since the US Open 2023. How different are you from the player of the US Open 2023?

BEN SHELTON: For me the differences in my game is when I was playing here in 2023, US Open 2023, I felt like everything had to be perfect. I was red-lining. I was at my limits. I was hitting a lot of winners. I was serving amazing. Everything had to fall in line for that to happen, me to have those runs.

Lately, especially in the matches here, everything hasn't been perfect. I had one good serving day out of my five matches. I've had to pick up the slack with everything else in my game. I think I'm a much better returner right now than in the past.

I'm winning in different ways, for sure.

Q. Ben, if seems like on Monday Gael passed you the torch as the showman on the court because of what you do out there. With the crowd, the way you answer, it's like you really feel tennis as a show. Do you feel it, like tennis for you is entertaining the crowd and that connection with the people?

BEN SHELTON: I don't know about showman. I'm definitely trying to be more focused on the court. Passionate about being out there. I love being out there, and that energy comes out at times. In terms of showman, Gael is the GOAT. He will always be the GOAT.

No, I see myself a little bit different out there. I've been trying to have blinders on when I play, not notice too much outside the court, and be a little bit more focused and just locked in from start to finish.

Q. Just curious, what do you know about what it takes to be a top player that you didn't know years ago when you made your first quarterfinal?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, a little bit what I was saying before. I think that you got to be able to -- your base game has to be good enough that you can win at 70% or 80%. You don't have to use everything in your arsenal and play perfect tennis to be winning out here.

I think that that's really, really important for me. That's what I was saying: winning in different ways when I'm having an off day.

A year ago if I had a bad serving day, it was an L. Or year and a half ago I had a day where I came out and couldn't hit my spots, it was automatic L.

For me that's the growth. I've been working every single day to become a more well-rounded player. If you only have one thing to rely on, you know, gun misfires or the chamber is empty, you're in trouble.

Q. Obviously you don't know who you are going to play next, but maybe a few thoughts on either Jannik Sinner or Alex de Minaur as opponents?

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, obviously two great players. Real tough opponent either way.

Alex has got the crowd in his hand here, and rightfully so. He's playing amazing tennis. It's his home slam. First quarterfinalist since 2015?

Q. Yes.

BEN SHELTON: So it's really cool to see. I love watching those type of moments. But at the same time he's playing serious ball.

Obviously, Jannik, defending champion. We know what he's done.

Either way, a really tough matchup. I'm really looking forward to it. I think that anytime you get to line up against the best in the world is a great opportunity to improve your game and see where you're at, and that's what Friday will be for me.

Q. First, just quickly, was it literally the first time there on the court these past two years? You said the five-minute warmup was your first...

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, last year I didn't hit a ball. I didn't hit a ball on Laver. I played a match on John Cain. I play one on KIA Arena. From when I showed up, I never hit a ball, no practice, nothing. This year hadn't hit a ball yet.

Q. Is that a big deal? I mean, because it's so much bigger maybe or does it affect things at all or change the way you would play, or not really?

BEN SHELTON: I think it affects it as much as you let it affect it. I haven't played one match at this tournament on the same court. I've played on 1573, John Cain, KIA, Margaret Court, and Laver.

For me I don't really care. It's all the same.

I'm sure that that's something that would upset some players or different people who like things a certain way. I think they do a great job here in making the courts pretty similar.

Obviously speed can vary a little bit from court to court. I think they all play pretty consistent, which isn't always the same at any tournament. Especially a hard court tournament.

Q. You talk about redlining. If you play Sinner, who is No. 1 and a champion and has an unreal record on hard courts, I wonder how much do you feel like you have to play above and kind of push things to the edge in terms of level of your aggression and how much you're going for against an opponent like him to be able to take him down?

BEN SHELTON: I think it's calculated risk. You have to choose your moments, still be confident in the things that you trust. I don't think I'll be redlining.

If anything, I've been, in terms of my baseline play, a bit more conservative this tournament, okay with going deep in rallies. Probably have to step that up a little bit in the semifinals.

But I don't think that 'redlining' would be the term. I think that a more aggressive game style, that's taking the ball a little earlier or serve and volleying more or taking first ball line and running in instead of, you know, hitting five or six forehands in a row.

I think that I'm figuring out ways to make guys uncomfortable without just playing at my upper limits and slapping.

Q. Can I go back to today's match. As you said, it's a tough match, tough battle. Is any specific, like, turning point on a games or points during today's match?

BEN SHELTON: For me or for him?

Q. Maybe for you.

BEN SHELTON: Yeah, I mean, obviously I had the lead early. It felt like the momentum shifted on his side, for sure. He punched me in the mouth. He started swinging big and landing a lot of body blows. It was tough to keep up with.

I mean, it was neck and neck. I wasn't able to get the break, even though I was fighting, diving, doing whatever I could to try to get a break in the fourth.

Yeah, I'm not really sure where the turning point was in the breaker. He made a couple unforced errors, kind of opened the door for me. I was able to capitalize.

One thing that I just want to say before we're done. I've been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters.

I don't think that the guy who mocked Novak, I don't think that was just a single event. I've noticed it with different people, not just myself. I noticed it with Learner Tien in one of his matches. I think when he beat Medvedev his post-match interview, I thought it was kind of embarrassing and disrespectful that interview.

There are some comments that have been made to me in post-match interviews by a couple of different guys, whether it was, Hey, Monfils is old enough to be your dad. Maybe he is your dad. Or today on the court, Hey, Ben, how does it feel that no matter who you play in your next match, no one is going to be cheering for you?

I mean, may be true, but I just don't think the comment is respectful from a guy I've never met before in my life.

I feel like broadcasters should be helping us grow our sport and help these athletes who just won matches on the biggest stage enjoy one of their biggest moments. I feel like there's just been a lot of negativity. I think that's something that needs to change.