Ben Shelton praised Felix Auger-Aliassime after their victory in doubles at the Laver Cup, giving him a new nickname.
World No. 14 Auger-Aliassime and World No. 19 Shelton paired up in doubles as part of Team World's battle with Team Europe at the 2023 Laver Cup in Vancouver, Canada.
The other players on their team are Americans Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Tommy Paul, as well as Argentinian player Francisco Cerundolo.
The two young talents faced Hubert Hurkacz and Gael Monfils in the last match of Day Two, defeating the Polish player and the Frenchman in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. This extended Team World's huge lead to 10-2 at the end of the second day.
After the match, Shelton praised his partner's athleticism, saying that they had enjoyed themselves on the court.
"It was amazing. When you play with a guy who’s as athletic as Felix, it’s a fun time out here," the 20-year-old said. He also added that he and his teammates had come up with a new nickname for the 23-year-old Canadian.
"We call him ‘Laver Cup Felix.’ Just happy I got to share the court with him," he continued.
Auger-Aliassime is considered to be one of the rising talents on the ATP Tour, having reached a career-high ranking of World No. 6 in 2022 and boasting four ATP singles titles to his name.
However, he has been eliminated in the opening round of the last three Grand Slams - the US Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open - with the same problem occurring at several ATP tournaments over recent months. Nevertheless, this positive result at the Laver Cup could potentially help him get back on form.
Auger-Aliassime will return to the court in singles on Day Three, where he will play Hurkacz. Meanwhile, Shelton will pair up with Tiafoe to take on Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev in the last doubles match of the tournament.
Ben Shelton after winning doubles match with Aliassime: “It was amazing. When you play with a guy who’s as athletic as Felix, it’s a fun time out here. We call him ‘Laver Cup Felix.’ Just happy I got to share the court with him.” Mythical player unlocked: Laver Cup Felix.
