Shelton does the double in Canada

Ben Shelton claimed his second consecutive Masters 1000 title in Canada on Thursday, defeating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). This marked a significant achievement for the American tennis player, securing his seventh career title without dropping a set during the tournament. Shelton joins Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal as the only players to achieve back-to-back wins in Canada during this century.

The first all-American final in Canada since 1995 began with Nakashima, who had previously defeated Shelton in all five of their matches, serving four aces in the opening game. However, Shelton quickly broke Nakashima's serve in the seventh game, going on to win the first set 6-3. He continued his dominance by winning the second set 7-6 in a tie-breaker, ultimately clinching the match in the tie-breaker with a forehand winner.

This victory propelled Shelton from 10th to 6th in the rankings. The player acknowledged the importance of his mental toughness and hard work in achieving this feat. The 87-minute match between the two Americans was the first to occur since Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish faced off in Cincinnati 23 years ago. After his win in Montreal, Shelton will head to the ongoing Cincinnati Masters, riding a 12-match winning streak in Canada, as he prepares for the US Open.