Ben Shelton Defends Canadian Open Title in Style

Ben Shelton successfully defended his Canadian Open title with a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over fellow American Brandon Nakashima on Thursday.

The triumph gave Ben Shelton his second Masters 1000 title and seventh career championship, while boosting his confidence ahead of the U.S. Open.

The all-American final was the first at Masters 1000 level since Andy Roddick defeated Mardy Fish in Cincinnati in 2003. It also offered encouragement for U.S. men’s tennis, which has not produced a men’s singles Grand Slam champion since Roddick’s U.S. Open victory in 2003.

Shelton arrived in Canada after a difficult run of results. He suffered a first-round exit at Wimbledon, lost in the second round at Roland Garros and managed only one victory across his first four Masters 1000 tournaments of the season.

However, the American rediscovered his best form on the Canadian hard courts.

“To play the way that I’ve played this week, to go through this draw without dropping a set, I think it speaks a lot to the work that I’ve been putting in, but it speaks a lot to my mental toughness,” Shelton said.

“It hasn’t been the best for ⁠me, easiest or most straightforward year for me, to put together a performance like this and playing at the top ‌of my game, I have no words.”

The fifth seed took control of the opening set after both players held serve through 3-3. Shelton repeatedly targeted Nakashima’s second serve before breaking for 4-3 with a forehand return winner.

He then broke again in the final game as Nakashima’s forehand began to struggle.

Nakashima, competing in his first Masters 1000 final, resisted in the second set and forced a tiebreak. Shelton gained an early mini-break before sealing victory with an outstanding forehand winner.

The win made Shelton the first Canadian Open champion since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to win the tournament without dropping a set. He also became the first player since Rafael Nadal in 2019 to successfully defend the title.

Can Shelton’s Canadian Open form carry him to his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open?