Toronto, August 8 (AP) - A resurgent Ben Shelton emerged victorious at the National Bank Open, clinching the third and most prestigious title of his burgeoning career. The 22-year-old American, seeded fourth, mounted a comeback to defeat Karen Khachanov of Russia, the tournament's 11th seed, with scores of 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3). This victory marks Shelton as the first American to capture the Masters 1000 hard-court title since Andy Roddick in 2003. Previously, Shelton had secured wins on hard courts in Tokyo in 2023 and on clay in Houston the prior year.
“It's a surreal feeling,” Shelton shared. “It's been a long week, not an easy path to the final. My best tennis came out when it mattered most. I was clutch, I persevered, I was resilient. All the qualities I like to see in myself.”
Shelton’s triumph in Toronto also propels him to a career-high ranking of sixth in the world. He reached the final by defeating fellow American and second seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals.
“I feel like it was a perfect storm for me this week,” Shelton remarked, reflecting on the tightly contested matches. “A lot of tight matches and long matches. I played some of the best tennis that I've played this year.” In the final, Shelton's serve was a formidable weapon, delivering seven of his 16 aces in the decisive third set. He concluded the match by winning an impressive 14 consecutive points on his serve, holding at love to push the contest into a final-set tiebreaker.
“He went for his shots, trusted the work that he's put in and he executed,” praised Bryan Shelton, Ben's father and coach. “Sometimes you do and sometimes you don't. But it's always nice when you can leave a tournament and hold a trophy up in your hands because it's rare.”
The 29-year-old Khachanov, a seasoned player with seven career titles, all on hard courts, showcased his skill by surviving a match point in a semifinal clash against top-seeded Alexander Zverev.
“It's a positive, a great tournament, a great run,” Khachanov reflected. “I had some great battles and great wins against top guys.”
The tournament was missing some top names, as reigning champion Jannik Sinner and world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz opted out of the expanded event to concentrate on preparations for the U.S. Open.
In doubles action, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool emerged victorious in the all-English doubles final, saving four match points in a thrilling 6-3, 6-7 (5), 13-11 battle against Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski. With this win, the second-seeded Wimbledon champions extended their winning streak to 19 matches. (AP)
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