Ben Shelton Shatters Records with ATP Masters 1000 Victory

Ben Shelton clinched his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open, defeating Karen Khachanov. The 20-year-old American becomes the youngest to win such a title since 2004, soaring to world number six. His path included triumphs over top-ranked players, boosting his ATP Finals qualification hopes.

In a stunning display of resilience and skill, Ben Shelton captured his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open, defeating Karen Khachanov on Friday. The 20-year-old American triumphed in a fiercely contested match, edging out Khachanov with a scoreline of 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3). This victory crowns Shelton as the youngest American to claim an ATP Masters 1000 title in two decades.

Shelton, who rallied from a 0/40 deficit to serve out the second set, spoke about his hard-fought win, expressing a sense of disbelief and pride. 'It's a surreal feeling,' Shelton shared with ATP's official website. 'My best tennis came out when it mattered most. I was clutch, I persevered, I was resilient—qualities I admire in myself.' His victory propels him to world number six and boosts his ATP Finals qualification hopes, with the season finale set for November.

Throughout the tournament, Shelton overcame formidable opponents including world number eight Alex de Minaur and world number four Taylor Fritz. His journey to the final featured tie-break wins against Brandon Nakashima and Flavio Cobolli, adding Tokyo (2023) and Houston (2024) titles to his resume. This triumph marks his third career singles title, a promising sign for the rising star. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)