Ben Shelton Defends Canadian Open Title with Straight-Sets Victory in Historic All-American Final

American tennis star Ben Shelton confirmed his status among the world’s elite hard-court players by successfully defending his Canadian Open title with a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over compatriot Brandon Nakashima in Montreal. The triumph secured Shelton his second ATP Masters 1000 trophy, his seventh career singles title, and established him in an exclusive pantheon of modern tennis greats. Following his maiden Masters 1000 victory in Toronto the previous year, Shelton’s dominant run in Montreal makes him the first player to achieve back-to-back Canadian Open men's singles titles since Rafael Nadal completed the feat in 2019. In winning the championship without dropping a single set across the entire tournament draw, the fifth-seeded American also matched a milestone last accomplished by Novak Djokovic in 2016. The final at IGA Stadium in Montreal carried historic significance for United States tennis. It marked the first all-American final at the ATP Masters 1000 level in 23 years, dating back to Andy Roddick’s victory over Mardy Fish in Cincinnati in 2003. On Canadian soil, it was the first all-American men's singles final since Andre Agassi defeated Pete Sampras in 1995. Shelton entered the tournament seeking form after a challenging mid-season stretch that included early exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. However, the 23-year-old left-hander rediscovered his rhythm on the fast North American hard courts, displaying serving precision, dynamic baseline aggression, and…