Ben Shelton won the Canadian Open on August 13, 2026, defeating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to claim his second consecutive title at the event and his seventh career trophy [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The final marked the first all-American Masters 1000 final since 2003 [6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Shelton broke Nakashima's serve in the first set before clinching the second-set tiebreak 7-4 to secure the straight-sets win [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Shelton won the tournament without dropping a set, becoming the first Canadian Open champion since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to do so [1, 2, 4, 5]. He is also the first player since Rafael Nadal in 2019 to successfully defend the Canadian Open title [1, 2, 4, 5]. Shelton acknowledged the challenges he faced earlier this season: "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," he said. "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" [1].

Nakashima, seeded 28th, reached his first Masters 1000 final after beating Rafael Jodar 7-6(3), 6-4 in a tough semifinal on August 12, where he saved five match points in a two-hour battle [6, 7, 8, 9]. The 22-year-old only has one tour-level title from 2022 in San Diego and has yet to win a Masters 1000 event [3]. Nakashima struggled with unforced errors in the final, particularly his forehand in the match's closing stages, which contributed to Shelton's victory [1, 2, 4, 5]. Reflecting on the tight final game, Nakashima said, "That final game was crazy. It was super-tight. We both had to keep fighting. I was lucky I was hitting my spots on serve, it paid off today. I’m happy to get through that one." He added, "I’m just trusting it and swinging through on every ball. When I connect with it, (my forehand) is one of my best shots. I’m happy it paid off today" [7].

Statistically, Shelton hit 22 winners to 12 unforced errors in the final, while Nakashima recorded 19 winners and 21 unforced errors [3].

Shelton's victory came one day after Nakashima's breakthrough semifinal win. His defense of the title confirms his return to top form after a difficult season [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The Canadian Open win was Shelton’s second Masters 1000 crown.

Shelton now turns his attention to upcoming hardcourt tournaments as he bids to build on his recent run.