Ben Shelton Defends National Bank Open Title Over Nakashima

Ben Shelton defended his National Bank Open title on Thursday night, beating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the Montreal final. The fifth seed completed the tournament without dropping a set and is set to rise to sixth in the world rankings.

Shelton’s victory gave him a second straight Canadian title after he won the event in Toronto last year. He became the first repeat winner at the event since Rafael Nadal in 2019, adding another significant result to a season that has also included titles in Dallas, Munich and Stuttgart.

The 23-year-old left-hander now has seven ATP Tour titles. His latest came in a 1-hour, 27-minute final in which he did not face a break point and delivered a serve measured at 142 mph.

Shelton controls all-American championship match

Shelton took the opening set 6-3 before Nakashima pushed the second set to a tiebreak. Shelton prevailed 7-4 in the breaker to seal the title in straight sets and preserve his perfect set record for the week.

The final featured two American players, with Nakashima entering as the 28th seed. Nakashima had been seeking his second ATP Tour title, having won his first in San Diego in 2022, but Shelton’s title defense continued an exceptional run in Montreal.

Speaking to the crowd after the match, Shelton said the tournament had been among the best weeks of his life from a tennis perspective. He thanked spectators for their energy during the event and said he had played some of the best tennis of his career.

Nakashima praised Shelton’s level and said it had been incredible to watch his career so far, adding that he expects his opponent to remain a top player throughout his career.

A seventh tour title and a rise to No. 6

The Montreal triumph carries added importance for Shelton as it moves him to sixth in the world rankings. It also reinforces a highly productive 2026 campaign, with four titles already listed among his seven career tour victories.

His success in Canada was built on a flawless sequence of straight-set wins, capped by a composed finish against Nakashima when the second set reached its decisive tiebreak. Shelton’s serving was particularly important in the final, where he did not surrender a break-point opportunity across the 87-minute contest.

In the doubles final, Brazil’s Rafael Matos and Orlando Luz defeated Croatia’s Mate Pavic and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo 5-7, 6-4, 10-6. The result completed the National Bank Open’s final day in Montreal, with Shelton taking the singles trophy for a second consecutive year.