Defending champ Ben Shelton, Brandon Nakashima set up all-American final in Montreal

MONTREAL (AP) — Defending champion Ben Shelton secured his place in the National Bank Open final by defeating fellow American Learner Tien 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday night. The fifth-seeded Shelton will now face Brandon Nakashima in an all-American final. The 28th-seeded Nakashima advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 final after defeating 19-year-old Rafael Jodar of Spain 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the first semifinal.

Shelton, who has six career victories, including wins in Dallas, Munich, and Stuttgart this year, expressed his happiness with his performance, stating that Learner presented him with numerous challenges. Nakashima, who won his sole tour title in 2022 in San Diego, acknowledged the high level of competition and emphasized that he knew he could advance deep into the tournament.