TORONTO — Ben Shelton gained the Nationwide Financial institution Open on Thursday night time for the third and largest title of his younger profession Thursday night time, 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 gained on laborious courts in Tokyo in 2023 and on clay in Houston final yr.
Shelton can be the youngest American to win any Masters 1000 title since since Roddick gained Miami in 2004 when he was age 21, based on ESPN Analysis.
“It is a surreal feeling,” Shelton stated. “It has been an extended week, not a straightforward path to the ultimate. My greatest 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.”
Shelton will transfer up a spot to a career-high sixth on the planet. He beat Khachanov an evening after topping second-seeded Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American semifinal match.
The winner had seven of his 16 aces within the third set, and ended the match by successful 14 consecutive factors on serve.
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.
High-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 gained 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 gained 19 straight matches.