Champion Shelton is too much for an inconsistent Fonseca
The title defender of Canada continues in his attempt to defend the Masters 1000 after skillfully disposing of the Brazilian in a match with many errors and little show.
Ben Shelton does not want what he achieved last year at the Masters 1000 in Canada to be seen as a fluke, and he is going all out for his second title, this time in Montreal. The American is already in the quarterfinals after defeating Joao Fonseca, who once again displayed his most hasty and erratic form. The Brazilian made repeated errors, while the American, instead of mimicking him, showed his more mature and confident version to secure the victory with 6-3, 7-6(3), while he awaits Jakub Mensik or Botic Van de Zandschulp in the next round.
A clash of two gems, two generational successors, and two players who are destined to achieve great things in the world of tennis. Although both are overshadowed by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, they are both set to lead the new era of tennis. However, both the American and the Brazilian have faced criticism for not meeting expectations, as well as experiencing inconsistent phases where neither their game nor results have been favorable.
Nonetheless, considering the number of withdrawals and surprises at the Masters 1000 in Canada and how open the draw is, both see a great opportunity to go far in Montreal. That was what Shelton did last year, when he became the champion of the tournament in Toronto, which is what Fonseca aims to replicate in this edition.
Champ marching on in Montreal 👑
A hard-fought 6-3 7-6(3) win vs Fonseca sees Shelton into the quarters!#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/jiWz02ozb4— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2026
Ben Shelton displayed his most assured version to tilt a hasty Joao Fonseca
If people expected a conservative start to the match from both players with little excitement, they were very wrong, because in the first two games of the match, both broke each other's serves, a sign that the encounter would not follow the established order. Shelton relied on his treasure: that powerful and heavy serve.
While Fonseca aimed for more baseline exchanges to take advantage of his devastating forehand. When the American's serve was good, the point had no story, but if the point turned into a rally, with each shot that passed, the Brazilian increased his chances of winning the point.
Still, both players managed to hold serve after that explosive start, not without suffering break points against. Until the eighth game, with 4-3 for Shelton, an endless service from the Rio player resulted in the second break for the American, who ultimately took a very tight first set (6-3), filled with errors and little ‘show’, but in which Atlanta took advantage of his chances.
That strange ending to the first set seemed to give Shelton wings and sink Fonseca, but nothing could be further from the truth because now it was the American who was making errors, and the Brazilian showed a much more accurate, aggressive, and lively approach. He capitalized on a poor serving game from the American to put the score at 3-0 in the blink of an eye. The reaction was underway; now it was just a matter of consolidating the lead.
Joao Fonseca suffered an ankle sprain that raised concerns
And in a game without apparent problems, with 40-0 to make it 4-2, the Brazilian got stuck again and, as happened in the first set, Shelton seized the opportunity to recover the break in a game he had practically lost. But losing serve was not what worried Fonseca the most; what concerned him the most was his right ankle, which, after a bad move, twisted and triggered all alarms.
It seemed like it was just a scare because his mobility remained the same. But the US Open is just around the corner, and Fonseca's mindset, along with his tennis, gradually dimmed, much to Shelton's delight as he approached the quarterfinals.
However, the Rio de Janeiro player kept fighting and even saved a break point against at 5-5 that would have been decisive. Shelton continued to focus on his serve, and the second set would be decided in a tie break. There, the pattern of the match repeated itself: Fonseca faltered and Shelton did not miss.
Thus, (6-3, 7-6(3)), the defending champion remains in the tournament, along with his dream of repeating his title. Lacking in spectacle, Ben Shelton did everything required to reach the top: order, composure, and maturity. With Joao Fonseca, he achieved it. Will he maintain it to lift the Masters 1000 in Canada title again?
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El campeón Shelton es demasiado para un irregular Fonseca