Ben Shelton kicked off the 2025 North American hard-court swing in style, claiming his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open in Toronto. The 22-year-old American powered past Karen Khachanov in the final. The victory places Shelton on the brink of a rare and historic achievement in Cincinnati.
In the modern ATP Masters 1000 era, only four men have pulled off the CanadianâCincinnati double in the same season: Andre Agassi (1995), Patrick Rafter (1998), Andy Roddick (2003), and Rafael Nadal (2013).
What makes Sheltonâs bid even more compelling is his age and style of play. None of the previous double winners were as young as the left-handed American when they achieved the feat.
As the fourth top seed, Shelton defeated Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz on route to the final in Toronto. He then defeated Khachanov in a three-set battle to earn his first Masters title.
Ben Shelton celebrates in Toronto (Getty Images)
âItâs a surreal feeling,â Shelton said after the win. âItâs 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.â
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Sheltonâs new ranking and US Open seeding
Sheltonâs triumph in Toronto vaulted him to a career-high ATP ranking, earning an extra 450 points and moving him past Novak Djokovic, who currently sits at 4,130 points and has skipped both Toronto and Cincinnati. The ranking jump not only boosts Sheltonâs seeding for the US Open but also puts him in a prime position to avoid early clashes with other top contenders.
Should he claim Cincinnati, Shelton would enter New York chasing one of tennisâ rarest achievements: becoming only the fourth man to sweep the Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open, and US Open in the same season.
