MONTREAL: Ben Shelton retained the Canadian Open title after a straight-set win over fellow American Brandon Nakashima while Poland’s Iga Swiatek captured her first title of the year, roaring past a weary Elena Rybakina in Toronto on Thursday.
Shelton won 6-3, 7-6(7/4), claiming his second Masters 1000 crown and picking up a seventh career title.
The all-American final was the first at Masters 1000 level since Andy Roddick beat Mardy Fish in Cincinnati in 2003 and offered an encouraging sign for US men’s tennis ahead of the US Open, where the country has not had a men’s singles champion since Roddick’s triumph that same year.
Shelton arrived in Canada after a frustrating stretch of results, having suffered a first-round exit at Wimbledon, a second-round defeat at Roland Garros and managed just one win across his first four Masters 1000 events of the season.
However, he has rediscovered his best form on the Canadian hard courts.
“To play the way that I’ve played this week, to go through this draw without dropping a set, I think it speaks a lot to the work that I’ve been putting in, but it speaks a lot to my mental toughness,” Shelton said.
“It hasn’t been the best for me, easiest or most straightforward year for me, to put together a performance like this and playing at the top of my game, I have no words.”
The fifth seed took control of the opening set as he repeatedly attacked Nakashima’s second serve after the pair traded holds through 3-3.
Shelton broke for 4-3 with a forehand return winner off a second serve and struck again in the final game as Nakashima’s forehand began to falter.
Nakashima, playing in his first Masters 1000 final, weathered the pressure in the second set and forced a tiebreak, but Shelton again seized the initiative with a mini-break before closing out the match with a superb forehand winner.
Shelton became the first Canadian Open champion since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to win the tournament without dropping a set, while also becoming the first player since Rafa Nadal in 2019 to successfully defend the title.
Meanwhile in the WTA 1000 event, Swiatek downed world number 2 Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 to break back into the top five in the world rankings.
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, was in control throughout against Australian Open winner Rybakina on the way to a first Canadian crown.
And as she accepted her 12th 1000-level trophy the 25-year-old had some words for the doubters who have contributed to what she has called her toughest year on court.
“It means so, so much to me,” Swiatek said. “All these past months were not easy.
“I’m really happy that I kept focusing on growing, changing my game a little bit, improving despite all the opinions that many people have about me every day on the internet.
“It’s not easy to deal with all of that. So I’m really happy that the reality is different. I have people that know me so well and people that support me every week, every day … so thank you to the team.”
Finally, she said: “I want to dedicate this title to everyone who is dealing with judgment and hate. Just keep growing … and always remember what’s ahead and what might be possible.”
Swiatek’s efficient serve performance, polished defense and timely attacks were far too much for Rybakina, who was taken to three sets in four of her five prior matches and didn’t polish off her three-set semi-final win over Coco Gauff until 1 am.
She got off to a sluggish start, gifting Swiatek a break in the opening game with a pair of double faults.
“Today was a pity,” Rybakina said. “I didn’t have much energy. I tried my best, but it wasn’t enough.
“I was just very tired,” she added. “You could see that I wasn’t pushing with the legs enough. There was a lot of unforced errors, especially on top of the net. It was just pure lack of concentration. Even on those kind of easy balls, too.”
Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2026
