In Toronto, American Shelton secures his maiden ATP Masters victory over Khachanov
In a thrilling final, 22-year-old American tennis player Ben Shelton secured his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto by defeating Karen Khachanov in a nail-biting three-set match. The final score was 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3), propelling Shelton to sixth place in the world rankings, surpassing Novak Djokovic [1][2][3][4].
Shelton's victory marks a significant milestone as he became the youngest American Masters 1000 champion in over 20 years and the first American since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win the Canadian Masters [1][2]. The match was not without its challenges, as computerized line calling technology caused a six-minute halt during play [5].
The first set was a gruelling 64-minute battle, with Shelton saving four break points in the game following his break [6]. The second set saw Khachanov taking a 3-2 lead after the halt, but Shelton managed to break for a 5-4 lead [7][8]. The decisive third set was a tense tiebreaker, with Shelton converting the second of four match points to clinch the biggest title of his career [9].
Throughout the match, Shelton fired 16 aces and displayed resilience, especially when his right quadriceps muscle was heavily strapped and he appeared to be in some discomfort [10]. He expressed his feelings about the match, stating that he was "clutch" and "persevered." [11]
Khachanov, the 11th seed, was denied a chance to win a second Masters title more than six years after his first win at Paris Bercy in 2018 [12]. Toronto marks the third career title for Shelton, following victories in Tokyo in 2023 and Houston in 2024. [13]
The audio problem in the match occurred during the fifth game of the second set, adding another layer of complexity to the already intense match [14]. Despite these challenges, Shelton's determination and skill shone through, securing a memorable victory that he celebrated with his father, former ATP player Bryan Shelton [1].
[1] https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/ben-shelton-defeats-khachanov-to-win-canadian-open [2] https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/62664166 [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/14/sports/tennis/ben-shelton-canadian-open.html [4] https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/34870464/ben-shelton-wins-canadian-open-upsets-karen-khachanov [5] https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/aug/14/ben-shelton-wins-canadian-open-karen-khachanov-final [6] https://www.atptour.com/en/news/ben-shelton-defeats-khachanov-to-win-canadian-open [7] https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/62664166 [8] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/14/sports/tennis/ben-shelton-canadian-open.html [9] https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/34870464/ben-shelton-wins-canadian-open-upsets-karen-khachanov [10] https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/aug/14/ben-shelton-wins-canadian-open-karen-khachanov-final [11] https://www.atptour.com/en/news/ben-shelton-defeats-khachanov-to-win-canadian-open [12] https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/62664166 [13] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/14/sports/tennis/ben-shelton-canadian-open.html [14] https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/34870464/ben-shelton-wins-canadian-open-upsets-karen-khachanov
Shelton's triumph in the Canadian Masters 1000 tournament was not limited to tennis, as he also showed his prowess in sports, particularly in the sport of tennis. Moving forward, it is exciting to see if he will continue to excel in tennis tournaments and potentially branch out to other sports.
