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Ben Shelton Claims Historic ATP Masters 1000 Crown

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Ben Shelton defeats Karen Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3) to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto.

“Karen was bullying me around the court, I felt like a freight train coming at me...”


Shelton Claims Historic ATP Masters Title

Ben Shelton defeated Karen Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3) in the Toronto final, becoming the first American to win an ATP Masters 1000 title in Canada in over two decades. The 22-year-old's victory will see him rise to sixth in the world rankings, overtaking Novak Djokovic.


Shelton's Rise to Sixth in Rankings

The win marks a significant milestone for Shelton, who will jump one place to sixth in the world rankings, surpassing Novak Djokovic. Shelton's achievement also ends a drought for American men's tennis in Canada, with his victory being the first ATP Masters 1000 title for an American in the country in over 20 years.


”It's a surreal feeling,” said Shelton, who is the first American since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win the Canadian trophy. “It's been a long week. It was not an easy path to the finals.


“But my best tennis just came out when it mattered the most.”


The victory, achieved after two hours and 45 minutes, denied 11th seed Khachanov a chance at a second Masters title, more than six years after he won his first at Paris-Bercy in 2018.


Shelton, with his right quadriceps heavily strapped and often appearing uncomfortable, dominated the final-set tiebreaker. He took early leads of 3-0 and 5-2 against Khachanov. Shelton had four match points and converted the second one to secure the title.


The American's victory marked the biggest title of his career, overcoming discomfort to claim the ATP Masters 1000 crown.


Shelton delivered 16 aces, leveraging his powerful serve to fuel the comeback win. After losing serve to trail 4-3 in the opening set, he broke back to level at 5-5. However, Khachanov saved three set points in the 12th game to take the set 7-5 in the tiebreaker.


Khachanov ultimately lost the match despite winning the first set, as Shelton's strong service game and determination propelled him to a thrilling comeback victory.


For the second consecutive night, issues with the computerized line-calling technology caused disruptions in a high-profile match. The problem arose in the fifth game of the second set when the audio malfunctioned, leaving Shelton and Khachanov unsure about calls.


After a six-minute delay, the system was restored, and play resumed with Khachanov holding for 3-2. He scooped a volley winner to secure the hold. Shelton, vocally supported by his father-coach after nearly every point, broke for a 5-4 lead. He then saved four break points in the next game to maintain the advantage, sealing it with a winner that left Khachanov struggling to return.


With victory secured, Shelton scrambled into the stands to celebrate with his father and coach, Bryan Shelton, a former ATP player.


“I was clutch, I persevered,it was brilliant, I'm developing qualities that will help in tennis and in life,” Shelton said.


“Karen was bullying me around the court, I felt like a freight train coming at me. The balls were coming fast but I was able to redirect.


“I hit some big shots and flipped the momentum of the match.”


The ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto is Shelton's third career title, following wins in Tokyo (2023) and Houston (2024).




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