Ben Shelton successfully defended his Montreal ATP Masters 1000 title on Thursday, defeating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) in the Montreal final.
The fifth seed completed his run without dropping a set across six matches, adding another title to a strong 2026 season.
Shelton also joined an exclusive list of players to successfully defend the Canada title this century. He is the fourth man to achieve the feat after Andy Murray in 2009-10, Novak Djokovic in 2011-12 and Rafael Nadal in 2018-19.
“For me to play the way that I played this week to go through this draw speaks to the work I have been putting in,” Shelton said. “It also speaks to my mental toughness, my ability to focus through everything that was going on this week.”
The 23-year-old took control of the final after breaking Nakashima at 3-3 in the opening set with a return winner. He then firmly held his own serve throughout the match, facing no break points.
Shelton continued to put pressure on Nakashima with his serve and forehand, converting two of four break opportunities before sealing the match in one hour and 27 minutes.
The Montreal title is Shelton’s fourth of the season, following victories in Dallas, Munich and Stuttgart. It also takes his career total to seven ATP Tour titles.
“I couldn’t be happier with the way I won this week,” Shelton said. “The way that I moved on the court, the way I struck the ball, my serve and return. I thought I was versatile. I played all-court tennis.”
For Nakashima, the defeat came in his first Masters 1000 final. The 25-year-old was seeking his second ATP Tour title, four years after winning his first in San Diego.
Despite falling short in Montreal, Nakashima’s run will see him rise to a career-high No. 22 in the ATP rankings.
“I want to say thank you to my team for all the help and support throughout my whole career,” Nakashima said of his family and team. “It really is one of the best weeks of my life.”
