Ben Shelton successfully defended his Masters 1000 title at the Canada Open 2026, beating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final. The victory, achieved in one hour and 27 minutes, marks Shelton’s second Masters 1000 triumph and places him among an elite group of players.

The 23-year-old remained undefeated in sets throughout the tournament, a remarkable feat that makes him only the fourth player in the 21st century to defend the Canada title. He joins a prestigious list including Andy Murray (2009-2010), Novak Djokovic (2011-2012), and Rafael Nadal (2018-2019).

"I played well all week, navigating a tough draw, which shows the effort I've put in. It also demonstrates my resilience, spirit, and ability to focus through everything," Shelton commented after the match.

Ben Shelton lifts the trophy after defeating countryman Brandon Nakashima in the National Bank Open final in Montreal, Canada, 13/8. Photo: AP

Ben Shelton lifts the trophy after defeating countryman Brandon Nakashima in the National Bank Open final in Montreal, Canada, 13/8. Photo: AP

The final began with both players holding serve, resulting in no break points through the initial six games. The turning point in the first set came in the seventh game when Shelton secured a crucial break with a winning return, taking a 4-3 lead. From that moment, the fifth seed controlled the match, delivering effective serves and powerful forehands. He broke Nakashima again to close out the first set 6-3 in 33 minutes.

Nakashima attempted a comeback in the second set but failed to create any break point opportunities. Shelton also couldn't break his opponent’s serve, leading to a tie-break to decide the set. Shelton quickly established a 4-2 lead in the high-stakes tie-break by winning a point on Nakashima's serve. He maintained this advantage, sealing the match with another mini-break to finalize the score at 7-6(4).

This victory extends Shelton’s head-to-head record against Nakashima to 6-0. It also marks his fourth title of 2026, following wins in Dallas, Munich, and Stuttgart, and his seventh ATP title overall.

Shelton faced considerable pressure at the Montreal tournament. The elimination of the top 4 seeds positioned him as the clear favorite. Despite this, the American player overcame the expectations, winning the entire tournament without dropping a single set.

For Nakashima, the loss meant he narrowly missed out on his first Masters 1000 title. This was the 25-year-old's debut in a final at this level, having never previously advanced beyond the 4th round of a Masters 1000 event.

Despite the defeat, Nakashima had a memorable tournament. His path to the final included victories over Rafael Jodar, Luciano Darderi, Arthur Rinderknech, Titouan Droguet, and Daniel Altmaier. This performance propelled the player of Vietnamese-Japanese descent to a career-high ranking of 22nd on the live ATP rankings.