By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 8, 2025
Photo Credit: Matthew Calvis
Ben Shelton Directed a dynamic progress in Toronto.
22-year-old Shelton played with dueling and power. Karen Khachanov 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the final of the National Bank open to become the newest US champion ATP Masters 1000 since 21-year-old Andy Roddick gathered the Miami Open 2004 championship.
An elastic shelton won three of his six matches in Toronto in the decisive third-party connectors, including the beating of compatriot Brandon Nakashima 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (5) and leaving Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (1) in a brief match, I did it by hand.
Facing powerful Khachanov, Shelton played some of his most dynamic tennis in the third set connector.
“Yes, really happy. I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” Shelton said. “I feel like it was a perfect storm for me this week. Many close matches, long matches, played some of the best tennis I played this year. And to finish the week in the way I did, especially with the opponent I had today, and the way he was playing, I couldn’t be happier.”
Standing to Grand Slam King Novak Djokovic at no. 6 In the ATP rankings, Shelton shared the secret of his star twist performance in Toronto.
One of the best athletes in the sport played a captive audience in front of each of his six victories at the Open National Bank.
Former defender Shelton took a page from his football past watching the game of each of his opponents in Toronto. Shelton said the video study gave him a greater overview of the opponents’ tendencies as he set up his tennis iq
“For me it is in the later stages of the tournament and playing against boys who are playing their best tennis to see where I match, and see where my weaknesses are and where I can get better,” Shelton told Toronto. “I think watching the movie is a big part for me, something I didn’t do so much in the past, and by late has been a kind of thing for every match for me, at least watching a match or a set start to end in the guy I’m playing.
“I think it’s an important part of the game that I may have overlooked a little in the past, or I didn’t think it was just as important because I was like, I would impose my game on anyone I was playing, but it’s a really important part of the game.
Australian semifinal Open created a conclusion of the pointed wrapping in Toronto and aims to run another deep running in US Open later this month.
“I hope this week starts a stroke and get me more in accordance with the type of tennis I want to play day-inside and outside,” Shelton said. “Of course it will push me
work more. I feel like I have a good understanding now about things that really work for me against boys who are playing some of the best tennis in the world, and the things I have to continue to work. “
