Ben Shelton delivered a dominant performance in Montreal on Thursday night to successfully defend his National Bank Open crown in an all-American final against Brandon Nakashima. The 23-year-old left-hander secured a straight-sets victory with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 to claim his seventh career ATP Tour title. Entering the tournament as the fifth seed, Shelton has enjoyed a stellar season, having already lifted trophies in Dallas, Munich, and Stuttgart earlier this year.
Historic Title Defense in Canada
Having won the Canadian tournament in Toronto last year, Shelton maintained flawless form throughout his campaign in Montreal this week, winning the title without dropping a single set. His triumph makes him the first player to successfully defend the Canadian Open men's singles title since Rafael Nadal accomplished the feat in 2019. Following this victory, the young American is projected to rise to a career-high world ranking of sixth.
Powerful Serving Controls the Final
Shelton's powerful serve proved decisive during the one-hour and 27-minute final. Clocking serve speeds up to 142 mph, he denied Nakashima a single break point opportunity throughout the match. His remarkable form on Canadian hard courts drew praise across tennis media, with commentator Bastien Fachan noting on X that someone needs to provide a scientific explanation for why Shelton transforms into Nadal whenever he plays in Canada.
Brazilian Duo Claims Doubles Crown
In the men's doubles final, the Brazilian pair of Rafael Matos and Orlando Luz mounted a spirited comeback to capture the title. After dropping the opening set, Matos and Luz fought back to defeat the team of Croatia's Mate Pavic and El Salvador's Marcelo Arevalo 5-7, 6-4, 10-6 in a thrilling deciding tiebreak.
