Ben Shelton just did something only three other men have done since 2000 which is winning back-to-back National Bank Open titles.
0 – Since 1990, Ben Shelton is just the third player to win the Canadian Open without dropping a set, after Pat Rafter (1998) and Novak Djokovic (2016) – both Rafter and Djokovic went on to reach the US Open final that year. Omen?#OBN26 | @OBNmontreal @atptour pic.twitter.com/MkT5OtoX13
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 14, 2026
Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are the only other names on that list. But the more interesting story here is if he can keep the momentum going till the US Open
After his Toronto title in 2025, he had a fairly decent run in Cincinnati and then got hurt just as the US Open began. That injury cut short what could have been a big summer. So the question this year is whether Shelton’s body can hold up long enough for him to show himself at the US Open
And there’s the big picture. American men’s tennis has been looking for someone to step up with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz battling injuries.
Taylor Fritz already has a title in Washington. Montreal just made Shelton’s resumé. Brandon Nakashima, who lost the final has been quietly on a tear all summer, taking down big names before running into a nearly flawless Shelton.
Shelton spoke after the match about mental toughness and blocking out distractions this week, not just his shot-making. Talent was never really the question with him. It’s been staying healthy, staying sharp deep into a Slam.
So, going into the US Open, his fitness and consistency is what the whole world is looking forward to
