Shelton caps off the perfect week and sends a message to the circuit from Canada
The American signed an impressive final against Nakashima to defend his title in Montreal: is he ready to maintain this level at the upcoming US Open?
Winning a Masters 1000 without dropping a single set is a privilege afforded to very few. Canada has something, we don't know what, that both revolutionizes and tames the beast within Ben Shelton. On North American soil, he is electric, fast, and furious... but also calm, serene, and imperial. The American's love affair with the neighboring country continues: after becoming champion in Toronto last year, he decided to double down to claim the ATP Montreal 2026 with the second Masters 1000 of his career, crowning a perfect week with a final worthy against his compatriot Brandon Nakashima (6-3, 7-6(4)).
What a way to defend a crown. An explosive tennis, greater resistance than usual to the opponent's hits, and a calmness we had seldom seen in Ben Shelton. The Canadian hard court propelled him until the very last day, in a final where he came out a bit more timid than usual: it might surprise many, but the one who started managing his nerves better was the rookie, Brandon Nakashima, who barely dropped points on his serve in the first games of the match and generated the first break points. As it happened against Jódar, he was unable to capitalize on them... and once they reached the halfway point of the first set, Ben entered his own Matrix to gift us an incredible outburst of tennis.
Does Shelton have what it takes to be a contender for the US Open?
The last three games from the American to close out the first set, including two breaks, are worthy of a contender for everything. Plain and simple. A medley of winning returns (the first of which was a topspin crosscourt forehand that helped him secure the first break), impossible forehands, controlled net approaches, unbelievable passing shots; in short, the explosiveness of a privileged athlete with the confidence of one who knows he will turn everything that passes through his racket into gold. Nakashima, surprised by the number of returns his opponent managed to get back, faded in his scheme against Shelton's flair and power, making some rash net approaches that his compatriot punished mercilessly.
Brandon managed to recover from the onslaught the match dealt him, regaining consistency in his serve to bring back parity in every service game. He also managed to come out of tricky situations, saving several 0-30 and 15-30 moments on his serve, which showed, indeed, that Shelton's break was much closer than in the previous half hour. Brandon prolonged the match as much as he could, with good combinations, daring volleys, and a bit of luck, but facing him was a beast very different from what he had encountered in previous matches, someone who barely conceded on serve and turned every forehand into an unpredictable whip.
CHAMPION IN CANADA. AGAIN. 🍁
Shelton defends his Masters 1000 title, as he defeats Nakashima 6-3 7-6(4)!@BenShelton #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/PIKU1VeKeA— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2026
Precisely a forehand from high to low, with the center of the court won, was what gave Shelton the definitive minibreak in the tiebreak of the second set. The wave of confidence ridden by the Atlanta native throughout the week made him face the tiebreak without fear of a possible third set, knowing that the match was in his racket, without pressure from any favoritism. Analyzing his journey in Canada leads us to questions that may be grandiloquent: he destroyed Mensik in one of the biggest exhibitions of the year, left Tien as a man without weapons, and dismantled the most in-form player of the entire tournament in a final that combined skill with fireworks. Now, of course, those questions: is he capable of doing this in five sets? Can his body sustain these peaks of intensity over a longer period? Can he play like this against Sinner and Alcaraz? Perhaps the US Open will provide us with more precise answers; for now, Ben, enjoy a crown you’ve earned.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shelton corona la semana perfecta y manda un aviso al circuito desde Canadá