TORONTO — Ben Shelton received the Nationwide Financial institution Open on Thursday night time for the third and largest title of his younger profession, rallying to beat eleventh -seeded Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3).
The 22-year-old Shelton, seeded fourth, grew to become the primary American winner within the Masters 1000 hard-court occasion since Andy Roddick in 2003. Shelton additionally received on laborious courts in Tokyo in 2023 and on clay in Houston final yr.
Shelton is the youngest American to win any Masters 1000 title since since Roddick received Miami in 2004 when he was age 21, based on ESPN Analysis.
“It is a surreal feeling,” Shelton mentioned. “It has been an extended week, not a simple path to the ultimate. My finest tennis got here out when it mattered most. I used to be clutch, I persevered, I used to be resilient. All of the qualities I wish to see in myself.”
Editor’s Picks
Shelton will transfer up a spot to a career-high sixth on this planet. He beat Khachanov an evening after topping second-seeded Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American semifinal match.
“I really feel prefer it was an ideal storm for me this week,” Shelton mentioned. “A whole lot of tight matches and lengthy matches. I performed among the finest tennis that I’ve performed this yr.”
The winner had seven of his 16 aces within the third set, and ended the match by successful 14 consecutive factors on serve. He held at like to drive the final-set tiebreaker.
“He went for his pictures, trusted the work that he is put in and he executed,” mentioned Bryan Shelton, his father and coach. “Typically you do and generally you do not. But it surely’s all the time good when you possibly can go away a event and maintain a trophy up in your arms as a result of it is uncommon.”
The 29-year-old Khachanov has seven profession victories — all on laborious courts. Within the semifinals, he survived a match level in one other third-set tiebreaker in opposition to top-seeded Alexander Zverev.
“It is a optimistic, an amazing event, an amazing run,” Khachanov mentioned. “I had some nice battles and nice wins in opposition to high guys.”
Prime-ranked Jannik Sinner — the 2023 winner in Toronto — and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz skipped the expanded occasion as they put together the U.S. Open.
Julian Money and Lloyd Glasspool received the all-English doubles remaining, saving 4 match factors in a 6-3, 6-7 (5), 13-11 victory over Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski. The second-seeded Wimbledon champions have received 19 straight matches.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
