Ben Shelton becomes the first 2000 American born to reach the ATP Masters 1000 final.
ATP-ranked world No. 7 Ben Shelton stormed into his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final with a commanding 6-4, 6-3 victory over fellow American Taylor Fritz. Displaying confidence and consistency, Shelton dominated on both first and second serve, while keeping his game clean with zero double faults—unlike Fritz, who committed three, including one on match point.
The 22-year-old capitalized on Fritz’s errors and remained steady under pressure, showing maturity beyond his years. This win marks a significant milestone in Shelton’s young career, adding to the growing list of firsts in his breakout season.
Speaking to Tennis.com after the match, Shelton reflected on the moment:
“I’ve played finals on the tour—I’ve won them, and I’ve lost a couple too,” he said. “It’s not easy playing them. There’s a lot of nerves, a lot of anticipation. But I’m really, really excited. Let’s try to get my biggest one tomorrow.”
Shelton will face Karen Khachanov in the final of National Bank Open presented by Rogers, who edged past Alexander Zverev in a tense three-set thriller, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7).