Ben Shelton’s breakout season reached new heights as the 22-year-old American battled from behind to defeat Karen Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3) and win the National Bank Open. It was the biggest title of his young career and a statement victory on one of tennis’ grand stages.
Shelton’s win makes him the first American man to lift the Canadian Masters trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003. He also becomes the youngest U.S. player to win any Masters 1000 event since Roddick’s triumph in Miami in 2004. For a rising star who has already claimed titles in Tokyo and Houston, this is another giant leap forward.
The fourth seed showed his trademark firepower and resilience, firing 16 aces, seven of them in the deciding set. His serve became unplayable late, as he won the final 14 points on serve to force a tiebreak, where he stayed aggressive and took control.
“This week felt like the perfect storm,” Shelton said. “A lot of tight matches and long matches. I played some of my best tennis when it mattered most.” That included a straight-sets win over second seed Taylor Fritz in an all-American semifinal.
His father and coach, Bryan Shelton, praised his son’s composure under pressure. “He went for his shots, trusted the work he’s put in, and he executed,” he said. “It’s always special when you can leave a tournament holding a trophy, because it’s rare.”
Khachanov, seeded 11th, was chasing his first Masters 1000 crown after surviving a marathon semifinal against Alexander Zverev. While the 29-year-old fell short, he took pride in his performance. “It’s a positive, a great tournament, a great run,” he said.
The absence of top-ranked Jannik Sinner and world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz left the draw open, but Shelton seized the opportunity. His career-high ranking of world No. 6 now looks like a springboard to even greater success heading into the U.S. Open.
