Auger-Aliassime Stages Epic Comeback Against Shelton at Nitto ATP Finals
Canadian talent now stands at 1-1 in the Bjorn Borg Group
November 12, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Felix Auger-Aliassime boasts a remarkable 20 deciding-set victories this season.
By Jerome Coombe
Felix Auger-Aliassime delighted fans with a spectacular display of resilience and skill during Wednesday’s match at the Nitto ATP Finals, coming back to triumph over Ben Shelton.
The 25-year-old found himself just two points away from defeat in a nail-biting second-set tiebreak, yet he summoned his fighting spirit to secure a thrilling 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 victory after an intense battle that lasted two hours and 25 minutes in Turin. Despite Shelton’s persistent serve-and-volley strategy creating formidable opposition, Auger-Aliassime maintained his composure, achieving his Tour-leading 20th deciding-set win of the year.
Comeback 👑@felixtennis flips the script on Shelton and becomes the second man to record 40 hard-court wins this season!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/UY0IizKaCO
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 12, 2025
“He was definitely playing at a higher level than me early on,” Auger-Aliassime reflected. “Getting broken twice in the first set indoors isn’t my usual experience. It was an odd start, but as the match progressed, I began placing my returns better. Once we got into those rallies, I felt confident about my chances. It was all about fighting, believing, and focusing on the next point.”
This victory keeps Auger-Aliassime’s dreams alive of advancing to the semi-finals at this prestigious season finale for the first time. Following his initial setback against defending champion Jannik Sinner, he is now positioned at 1-1 within the Bjorn Borg Group and is set to face Alexander Zverev, the third seed, in his last round-robin clash on Friday.
After concerns about Auger-Aliassime’s fitness following an injury scare in his previous match against Sinner, he proved those worries unfounded with a strong performance against Shelton. In contrast, it was Shelton who stumbled during the second-set tiebreak, making a crucial double fault at set point which allowed Auger-Aliassime to turn the tides.
“I felt fantastic physically. We managed our recovery well,” Auger-Aliassime stated. “I was able to sustain two-and-a-half hours of high-pressure tennis. Credit goes to him for his amazing serves; he really kept me on my toes. But I also have to commend myself for staying calm.”
As the No. 8 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Auger-Aliassime has consistently been a formidable opponent on indoor hard courts, racking up an impressive 84 wins in such conditions this decade, as recorded by the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Once he leveled the match against Shelton, he found his rhythm and ultimately improved to 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
For Shelton, the match is a bitter reminder of missed chances, leaving him 0-2 in the Bjorn Borg Group during his debut at the season finale. After losing five consecutive points from a 6-3 lead in the second-set tiebreak against Zverev in his first encounter, he was unable to avoid a similar fate against Auger-Aliassime, committing a series of untimely unforced errors at critical junctures.
