Ben Shelton secured his fourth title of the 2026 season by defeating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the National Bank Open final in Montreal on Thursday, according to Sportsnet. The victory marks a successful title defense at the Masters 1000 tournament, propelling Shelton from world No. 10 to No. 6 in the ATP rankings.
Expanding Court Variety and Finesse
Shelton incorporated swinging volleys, precise drop shots, and aggressive net play throughout the 10-day tournament in Montreal, as reported by Sportsnet. In the championship match against Nakashima, the left-hander approached the net 10 times and converted eight of those points while limiting his unforced errors to 12 over an hour and 27 minutes on court. Shelton mixed 230 km/h flat serves with slower 144 km/h deliveries to keep his opponent off balance, according to additional reporting from Sportsnet.
“Tennis-wise, this has been one of the best weeks of my life,” Shelton told the sold-out crowd at IGA Stadium, as quoted by Sportsnet. “I played some of the best tennis that I’ve ever played and to be able to put that on display in front of you has been an honour.”
Tournament Path and Historical Context
Shelton navigated the draw without dropping a set, securing victories over Jenson Brooksby, Zizou Bergs, Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik, and Learner Tien, per Sportsnet. He did not drop a single service game against Nakashima, who reached his first Masters 1000 final in Montreal following a semifinal run in Washington.
Nakashima praised Shelton’s progression following the match. “He’s of course established now and inside the top 10,” Nakashima said, according to Sportsnet. “This week, he’s been playing at an insane level… He’s overall a pretty complete player, especially at that young age.”
With the Montreal victory, Shelton joins an elite historical group of players to win the Canadian hard-court event, alongside Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray, according to the ATP Tour. Shelton holds a 16-4 record on hard courts in 2026 as he prepares for the upcoming tournament in Cincinnati.
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