Ben Shelton gains back-to-back Canadian Open titles after beating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in the Montreal final. The fifth seed closed the match in straight sets to complete a week without surrendering a set, a rare dominance at a Masters 1,000 event.
The final was an all-American affair, the first at ATP Masters 1,000 level since Andy Roddick beat Mardy Fish in Cincinnati in 2003. Shelton, 23, moved past Nakashima to become the first player since Rafael Nadal in 2019 to defend the Canadian Open, and the first winner at the tournament to run through the draw without dropping a set since Novak Djokovic in 2016.
Shelton’s Montreal run contrasts sharply with the start of his season. He arrived in Canada after a first-round exit at Wimbledon, a second-round loss at Roland Garros, and managing only one win across his first four Masters 1,000 events. The title gives a definitive counterpoint to that sequence of results.
On court, Shelton credited preparation and mindset, saying, "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. The remark underlines how he framed the victory: not just a physical success, but a test of resolve.
The win secures Shelton’s place atop Montreal’s trophy list for a second straight year and marks a notable American success at the ATP Masters 1,000 tier. The report did not specify Shelton’s next tournament, but the title alters the immediate arc of his season by delivering consecutive Canadian Open crowns and a rare straight-sets defence at a major Masters event.
