Ben Shelton is a two-time National Bank Open champion. The 23-year-old American defended his Masters 1000 title in Montreal on Thursday night, beating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (4) in an all-American final without dropping a set all week.
Shelton, the fifth seed, was untouchable on serve: he faced no break points in the final, served at up to 142 mph and closed out his compatriot in straight sets. "Tennis-wise, this has been one of the best weeks of my life," Shelton told the crowd. "I played some of the best tennis that I've ever played, and to be able to put that on display here in front of you has been an honor."
The victory is the seventh ATP Tour title of Shelton's career and his third of the season, after triumphs in Dallas, Munich and Stuttgart. It also marks his second consecutive Canadian crown, having won the event last year in Toronto. Shelton is the first player to win back-to-back titles in Canada since Rafael Nadal in 2019, and the result lifts him to No. 6 in the world rankings.
