John McEnroe Band
The top two will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday 21 November
John McEnroe Group. all results
| rank | Player: | Country: | Unit: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, November 15 | |||
| 1: |
|
 |
6-4, 6-4 |
| 2: |
 |
 |
6-2, 3-6, 6-3 |
Shelton is untouchable on serve for a set and a half
Phils held love in the opening game and put up plenty of resistance early on, saving four break points in a marathon 1-2 game that went from deuce to back. However, the Frenchman broke his next two service games. Shelton broke at 2-2 at the fifth attempt of the set, then again at 4-2, and served out his second set-point to open 6-2.
During his own service, the American was unavailable. She didn’t face a single break point for more than a set and a half and at one stage dropped 27 of 32 points on her serve, including 11 of 12 on her second ball.
Phils roars back
Phils never gave up, rallying loudly between points and holding her service games in the second set. At 4-3 he finally found the way. on his first break point of the match, Shelton got behind his serve and Phils got around him before letting out one of his famous roars.
Serving for the set at 5-3, the Frenchman saved two break points, one of which was a service winner, to level the match on his first set point. In the second set, she held all five of her service games and won all three of her points at the net.
An early break makes a decision
Shelton hit straight back in the third set. After holding to love, he broke Phils in the second game, converting on his fourth break point. The Frenchman had two chances to break back at 4-1, but Shelton saved both, and again saved a break point at 5-3 while serving for the match before closing it out.
Shelton: “I hit my putt perfectly today”
After the match, Shelton singled out his backhand. “I hit my backhand perfectly today. I thought that was a big key,” he said. “I knew he was going to try to get me to open my backhand. It’s a shot I’ve been working on a lot and I did really, really well today.”
The American also described the conditions in Turin very quickly. “They say Paris was one of the fastest courts ever. I think with a little bit of height here, the ball flies a little bit more,” he explained. “The conditions play a bit faster than Paris in my opinion, but it’s comparable.”
Juan Carlos Ferrero it was the first time in his box, next to his father. “It was great to have him and my dad out there together, two guys that are hungry, excited,” Shelton said. “I’m sure they’ll be happy with some of the things I did today and unhappy with others.” Saying that Ferrero’s presence was not expected, he smiled. “Maybe it wasn’t expected for you, but…
Phils. “I’m not sad, I’m not crying”
Phils left the court in a positive mood. “I think it was a great match, he played very aggressively in the first set,” he said. “Then I start to find the rhythm a little bit and I’ve been getting better and better. Too bad I started the third set a little low. I may have braked too quickly. But also congratulations to him because he had a great serve and broke the rhythm very well.”
The Frenchman also praised the Turin side, who he described as “one of the best teams in the world”, and described a match that was played at full intensity. Looking ahead, he added. “Very positive. I’m not sad, I’m not crying. I have another appointment on Tuesday and another on Thursday. I’ll try my best.”
Shelton, seeded third, and Zverev both have one win each since the opening day. Fils, the sixth seed and the first Frenchman since 2016, and Jodar are both 0-1. The top two from each group advance to the semi-finals on Saturday 21 November.