Ben Shelton secures his first ATP Masters 1000 title
Aug 09, 2025
On athlete, Ben Shelton, has secured his first ATP Masters 1000 title, defeating Karen Khachanov (RUS) 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 in the final at the Toronto Open. The 22 year-old becomes the youngest American ATP Masters 1000 Champion in two decades.
It was a nail-biting final, with both players winning 49 points in the first set and 29 in the second, before Shelton managed to edge out Khachanov, winning 36 points vs the Russians' 31 points in the deciding set.
Photo courtesy of On.
Proving his talent, Shelton brought his best game to the court when it mattered most. He rallied from 0-40 to serve out the second set, before coming from behind during the deciding set and forcing a third-set tie-break; his third of the tournament, before winning 14 consecutive points to seal the championship win.
Speaking on his victory, Shelton said: “It’s a surreal feeling. It’s been a long week, not an easy path to the final. My best tennis came out when it mattered most. I was clutch, I persevered, I was resilient. All the qualities I like to see in myself.”
On his way to the final, Shelton defeated Adrian Mannarino, then survived third-set tie-breaks against both Brandon Nakashima and fellow On athlete Flavio Cobolli. He continued his run by defeating Alex de Minaur and number two seed Taylor Fritz to set up his final showdown with Khachanov.
Photo courtesy of On.
The Toronto title is Shelton’s third title, following wins in Tokyo in 2023 and Houston in 2024. He becomes the youngest American ATP Masters 1000 champion since Andy Roddick won the title in Miami in 2024 when he was 21 years-old.
Shelton will also reach a new career high of World No. 6 on Monday as he prepares for the upcoming US Open, which begins in three weeks.
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