The American teenager Ben Shelton has won his first ATP World tour title by beating Andy Murray 6-4 6-3 in Canada on Thursday night. The 22 year old American came back to beat the 11 th seeded Russian Karen Khachanov by 6-7 (5), 6- 4, 7-6 (3). The win is taking Shelton as the first American to win the Masters 1000 hard-court event since Andy Roddick in the year 2003.
Ben Shelton’s Breakthrough Victory in Toronto
Fourth seed Shelton has enjoyed success on hard and clay over the past 12 months winning in Tokyo last year and Houston in 2018. “It’s a surreal feeling,” Shelton said. “It’s been a long week, not an easy path to the final. I had tennis to play with at the right moment. I was clutch, I did not give up, I was strong. All my favorite traits to have in myself.”
His triumph in Toronto will propel his global standing to a best position of sixth position in the world. Shelton came out on the edge of second-seeded Taylor Fritz to defeat 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American semifinal high-stake encounter with the previous night before the final.
Shelton’s Resilience and Serve Strength Key to Triumph
Shelton said that his success was due to his boisterous matches. I said, this was a perfect storm on me this week. There was plenty of close and many-game matches. I played some of the best tennis that I’ve played this year.”
Shelton then in the final got his 16 aces against him, hitting seven in the third set tie-breaker. He finished it up by winning 14 points straight serving with love served to force the tiebreaker which ensued to win the match.
Shelton’s father and coach, Bryan Shelton, praised his son’s approach: “He went for his shots, trusted the work that he’s put in and he executed. Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. But it’s always nice when you can leave a tournament and hold a trophy up in your hands because it’s rare.”
Karen Khachanov Reflects on Strong Tournament Run
In spite of the defeat, 29-year old Khachanov, had a remarkable performance in the tournament with all the seven wins of his career on hard courts. Armed with a dramatic win over top-ranked Alexander Zverev in a tough third set tiebreak, which he saved 1 match point to squeeze through the semifinals.
“It’s a positive, a great tournament, a great run,” Khachanov said. I done a lot of good fights and good beatings on big boys.
In the meantime, some of the star names, such as the first-ranked Jannik Sinner, the No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, did not play the Toronto event, as they were preparing to compete in the U.S. Open.
In doubles, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of England maintained a four-point lead in their match at doubles, winning the championship in 6-3, 6-7 (5) and 13-11 by defeating the Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski. The Venus and Serena Williams have made it now 19 games in the same succession of the Wimbledon champions.
