Shelton Defends Montreal Crown to Join Tennis Royalty

Shelton Joins Murray, Djokovic and Nadal in Canada's Defence Club

Ben Shelton raised a second consecutive National Bank Open trophy on Thursday, defeating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) in an all-American final in Montreal. The result makes the 24-year-old American only the fourth player in the Masters 1000 era to successfully defend the Canadian title — a list that previously comprised Andy Murray (2009–10), Novak Djokovic (2011–12) and Rafael Nadal (2018–19).

The match was settled in two efficient sets. Shelton broke early in the opening set and closed it out 6-3, his serve operating at a level that gave Nakashima almost no foothold. The second set was tighter: Nakashima lifted his game and the pair exchanged baseline exchanges of a high intensity, but Shelton's big-hitting groundstrokes and authoritative return kept him ahead. In the tiebreak, he led 5-2 before closing it 7-4. Total match time was just under 90 minutes.

An American Week for the Ages

Montreal had turned, by the time the final weekend arrived, into an American showcase. In the semifinals, Shelton had dispatched fellow countryman Learner Tien 6-2, 6-3 in a statement performance — notable partly because Shelton had lost both previous meetings with Tien and entered the match with something to prove. Nakashima, on the other side of the draw, had beaten Spaniard Rafael Jódar 7-6, 6-4 to reach his first Masters 1000 final. Three of the four semifinalists from the United States: a first in the tournament's modern history.

Shelton arrived in Montreal carrying a season record of 32-12 and a Canadian tournament record that now reads 13-2. His serve — capable of exceeding 220 km/h — was used effectively all week, but it was his improved defensive mobility and break-point conversion that made him difficult to topple in the later rounds. He did not drop his serve in the semifinal against Tien, and was equally assured in the final.

What This Title Means for His Standing

The title defence is the rarer achievement. Winning a Masters 1000 is one thing; returning twelve months later and retaining it against a new draw, new challengers and the psychological burden of being the defending champion requires a different kind of mental fortitude. Murray, Djokovic and Nadal each demonstrated it in Canada. Shelton has now demonstrated it too, at 24 — younger than any of the three were when they completed their own Canadian doubles.

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With Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both absent from the Western & Southern Open draw in Cincinnati, Shelton enters the next Masters as the standout name in form. His ranking, already inside the top ten, will move further upward with the Montreal points. The US Open, less than three weeks away, looks increasingly likely to feature Shelton as one of the tournament's genuine contenders rather than a seeded wildcard.

Nakashima's Breakthrough Demands Respect

The result was Shelton's, but the week also belonged in part to Nakashima. His first Masters 1000 final, reached through increasingly authoritative performances including the victory over Jódar, announced him as a player who is no longer a rising prospect but an established presence in the top tier. He and Shelton head to Cincinnati as the two Americans most likely to shape the men's hardcourt conversation before New York — and both with significant momentum behind them.