Rising American Ben Shelton faces Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in a pivotal ATP Finals group stage tennis clash. Both players enter the match looking to boost their qualification hopes in Turin, with Shelton aiming to continue his breakthrough season and Auger-Aliassime eager to rebound after a tough opener. Expect an intense, high-quality battle as these young stars compete on one of professional tennis’s biggest stages.
Our best bet for the match is Shelton to win at -200 odds.
Best bet – Shelton to win
Shelton to win vs. Auger-Aliassime
Under normal circumstances, Auger-Aliassime would enter as the favourite — his recent form and indoor skill set make him a difficult opponent. However, the injury sustained against Jannik Sinner complicates matters significantly. Even if he decides to play, it’s unlikely he’ll be fully fit or able to generate the same power and movement that define his game. Meanwhile, Ben Shelton, despite his shoulder discomfort, appears to be in better physical shape and motivated to claim his first win at the ATP Finals. His lefty serve on indoor hard courts could be decisive if he keeps his error count under control.
Shelton vs. Auger-Aliassime head-to-head record
The head-to-head stands 1-0 for Auger-Aliassime, who won their only previous meeting at Roland Garros 2024, dominating 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 on clay.
Match preview
One of the most interesting matches of this ATP Finals group stage brings face to face two of the tour’s brightest next-generation players – Shelton and Auger-Aliassime. The American enters his first ever year-end championship appearance, while the Canadian is contesting this event for the second consecutive season. Both players lost their opening matches, so this clash could prove decisive for their chances of progressing to the semifinals.
Shelton form & stats
Shelton, aged 23 and ranked No. 6 in the ATP standings, is currently enjoying the best ranking of his career. A powerful left-hander, Shelton has established himself as one of the biggest-serving players on tour. His serve alone is often enough to keep him competitive against the elite, and many experts believe his potential is still far from being fully reached.
Shelton’s mental strength and confident personality make him a long-term candidate for the world’s top 3, alongside Alcaraz and Sinner. He’s improved his baseline consistency significantly, although he still struggles at times with unforced errors in key moments, as seen in his loss to Zverev earlier in the group.
His 2025 season has been impressive overall — semifinals at the Australian Open, quarterfinals at Wimbledon, and a Masters 1000 title in Toronto, the biggest achievement of his young career. However, recent performances have dipped due to a lingering shoulder injury first felt at the US Open, which continues to affect his serving rhythm. In his opening match here, Shelton fell 3-6, 6-7 to Zverev, despite serving 78% first-serve points won. He created chances but missed some routine forehands under pressure. While his chances of qualifying from the group are slim, this event still marks an excellent season-ending milestone for the American.
Auger-Aliassime form & stats
Auger-Aliassime, 25 years old and ranked No. 8 ATP, has now confirmed his place among the world’s elite. This is his second straight top-10 finish, and he looks mentally stronger than in previous years, when nerves often undermined his talent in decisive matches.
Long hailed as a prodigy, Felix’s rise to prominence was slowed by health concerns (including a minor heart issue) and a lack of composure under pressure. However, over the past two seasons, he’s developed a more balanced mindset and an improved tactical game.
A tall, explosive player, Auger-Aliassime possesses one of the tour’s best serves and a powerful baseline game suited for indoor conditions. His calm demeanor and newfound personal stability — having recently married — have also helped him regain confidence.
This year, Felix has claimed three titles — in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels, the latter two played indoors — and reached several deep runs at top events. His best result came at the US Open, where he reached the semifinals before losing to Sinner. He also finished runner-up at the Paris Masters, again losing to the Italian star. In his ATP Finals debut match, Auger-Aliassime lost 5-7, 1-6 to Sinner, hampered by a foot injury sustained late in the first set. That physical issue raises serious concerns ahead of this meeting — he was visibly limited in movement and hit just one winner in the second set.