Ben Shelton triumphed over Karen Khachanov in the National Bank Open final in Toronto, securing his third and most significant title of his burgeoning career. The 22-year-old American, seeded fourth, rallied from a set down to win with scores of 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3). With this victory, Shelton becomes the first American winner of this Masters 1000 hard-court event since Andy Roddick achieved the feat in 2003.
Shelton’s remarkable performance throughout the tournament has propelled him to a career-high sixth in the world rankings. In the semifinal, he dispatched second-seeded Taylor Fritz in straight sets, showcasing his rising talent. Notably, the young champion displayed impressive resilience, serving 16 aces, with seven coming in the decisive third set. He sealed the match by winning 14 consecutive points while on serve.
On the other hand, Khachanov, the 29-year-old Russian, made an impressive run himself, surviving a match point in the semifinals against Alexander Zverev. Still, he could not clinch the title. The tournament also featured an all-English doubles final, where Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool saved four match points to defeat Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, marking their 19th consecutive victory.