MONTREAL/WASHINGTON, August 14, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
The last time there was an all-American singles final at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, when Andre Agassi faced Pete Sampras in 1995, neither of this year’s finalists, Ben Shelton nor Brandon Nakashima, had been born.
Fast forward to the summer of 2026, 31 years after Agassi beat Sampras, as the World No. 10 Shelton added his name to the list of American winners of the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 title since the Open Era.
On Thursday evening at IGA Stadium in Jarry Park, the 23-year-old Shelton successfully defended his Canadian Open title with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over the 28th-seeded Nakashima in one hour and 27 minutes to capture his fourth ATP Tour title of the season. It was Shelton’s sixth career triumph over the 25-year-old Nakashima in six meetings.
After Nakashima scored the biggest win of his career to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final, he just didn’t have the same pop and energy he had the night before in beating 20th-seeded Rafael Jodar of Spain. Shelton denied Nakashima from winning his second career ATP Tour title.
CHAMPION IN CANADA. AGAIN. 🍁
Shelton defends his Masters 1000 title, as he defeats Nakashima 6-3 7-6(4)!@BenShelton #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/PIKU1VeKeA
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2026
In the first all-American ATP Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick defeated Mardy Fish in 2003 at the Cincinnati Open – and sixth all-American final at this event in the Open Era – Shelton’s victory guaranteed the 14th American men’s singles victory in the Canadian Open event since 1968.
At 3-all in the opening set, Shelton broke Nakashima to go ahead 4-3, after hitting an authoritative 97 mile-per-hour second-shot forehand winner that left the Southern Californian dead in his tracks. The Floridian consolidated the break at love to push ahead 5-3. Then, Shelton broke Nakashima, again, to win the 32-minute set 6-3, after striking a whiplash forehand winner that zoomed past his opponent. It was Shelton’s fifth forehand winner during the opening set.
Next, Shelton began the second set with a hold, but after 12 straight games in which there were no break points on offer, it was on to a tie-break against Nakashima after both players held their ground in each of their service games.
That is just unfair 🤯
A no-look pass on the run 🙈@BenShelton #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/r4xu2kRFIu
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2026
In the tiebreaker, Shelton pushed ahead 4-2 with an inside-out forehand winner, then soon made it 6-3 to set up a championship point on Nakashima’s serve.
Although Nakashima saved a championship point after Shelton air mailed a forehand return way long, on the second championship point, Shelton won it all with an eighth-shot forehand winner that Nakashima wasn’t able to get his racquet on.
By the end, Shelton had successfully defended his Canada title after winning last year’s event in Toronto – and he did it without dropping a set over six straight victories, the first man since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to win the Canadian Open title without dropping a set. Shelton, who has strung together 12 straight wins in Canada, became just the fifth man to defend his first ATP Masters 1000 title.
LE DOUBLÉ 🏆🏆
Toronto l’an dernier. Montréal cette année. Ben Shelton s’impose à nouveau à l’Omnium Banque Nationale présenté par Rogers.#OBN26 | @banquenationale pic.twitter.com/5RyXqJmMfC
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) August 14, 2026
It was also Shelton’s seventh career title – including four this season. Each of them has been won on different surfaces (Dallas, indoor hard court), Munich (clay), Stuttgart (grass) and Montreal (outdoor hard court).
Against Nakashima, Shelton struck 22 winners, made just 12 unforced errors and won 86 percent (32 of 36) of his first-serve points. He faced no break points on his serve and converted two of four break-point opportunities. Shelton outpointed Nakashima 65-53. By comparison, Nakashima fired eight aces and hit 19 winners overall, but also made 21 unforced errors. He won 80 percent (32 of 40) of his first-service points.
“For me to play the way that I played this week to go through this draw speaks to the work I have been putting in,” Shelton said during his on-court interview before the trophy ceremony. “It also speaks to my mental toughness, my ability to focus through everything that was going on this week.
“It hasn’t been the easiest or most straightforward year for me. To put together a performance like this and play at the top of my game – at my limit – I’ve got no words.”
Meanwhile, Nakashima was upbeat during his final news conference of the 12-day ATP Masters 1000 event. “It’s been a crazy week for me, one of the best weeks of my career, for sure,” he said. “So many positives to take away. …
“It’s definitely a big milestone for me in my career. It’s definitely one that I’ve dreamed about since I started playing is to do well at these big events.
“Obviously, I still have a lot of things to work on and improve, but it’s a good step in the right direction. And I definitely take a lot of positives away from this week to help motivate me and hopefully one day lift the trophy.”
Twelve days of tennis, one moment like this 🏆#NBO26
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Douze jours de tennis pour arriver à ce moment 🏆#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/i4fVyIJCDZ
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) August 14, 2026
Luz and Matos are first all-Brazilian ATP Masters 1000 doubles titlists
Unseeded Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos of Brazil won their third ATP Tour doubles title of the season – and first at the ATP Masters 1000 level – with their 5-7, 6-4, 10-6 victory over No. 3 seeds Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia in one hour and 32 minutes.
The Brazilian duo overcame six double faults to win 81 percent (30 of 37) of their first-serve points and converted two of three break-point chances. They outpointed their opponents 66-62.
MASTERS 1000 CHAMPIONS 🏆
Luz & Matos are the first Brazilian duo to win a Masters 1000 title after getting past Arevalo & Pavic 5-7, 6-4, 10-6.@NBOtoronto | #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/vQbAgZaRco
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 14, 2026
Earlier this season, Luz, 28, and Matos, 30, won titles on clay at Buenos Aires and Santiago. They improved to 32-9 this season with their title victory on Thursday. As a team, they are 36-20 on the ATP Tour after making their debut in 2022. The Montreal triumph moved them into eighth place in the Doubles Race to Turin.
Meanwhile, Arevelo and Pavic, runners-up at Monte-Carlo and Wimbledon, are 35-14 this season and in third place in the Doubles Race to Turin.
“This one means a lot for both of us; it’s a big title,” Luz said during an on-court interview before the trophy ceremony. “Since we started this duo, our main goal was [to qualify for] the Turin finals. Still there is a long way to go, but we are inside the Top 8 so now we can keep grinding, keep working and make this dream come true.”
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Around IGA Stadium
The main Centre Court complex at IGA Stadium, which seats 10,500 for tennis, was built directly into a remnant of the old Jarry Park baseball grandstand used by the Montreal Expos, when Major League Baseball debuted in 1969. The Expos played at Jarry Park until moving to Montreal Olympic Stadium in 1977.
A $24 million redevelopment partnership between the City of Montreal and Tennis Canada transformed the old baseball infrastructure into a modern tennis facility, reopening for the 1996 National Bank Open tournament. IGA Stadium hosts the NBO ATP Tour and WTA Tour 1000-series events in alternating years.
In a news conference earlier this week, Montreal tournament director Valérie Tétreault said the earliest a new Montreal stadium could be ready and used for the National Bank Open tournament would be 2032.
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“There is a sense of urgency,” Tétreault said. “We really see that we’re falling behind, and we’re being told the same thing by the two tours. As much as the ATP worked on implementing a lot of standards when it comes to everything that is tied to the player services, it’s pretty clear that, right now, you know, this isn’t a good place and they’re turning more to fan experience and what is expected in terms of fan experience when you go to a Masters 1000.
“In fact, you know, they did a little pilot even at our event earlier in the tournament bringing someone to kind of like walk around the site and evaluate the fan experience as well.
“There’s no ultimatum as of right now. It’s more that they’re looking to be reassured that we’re working towards finding a solution.”
Tétreault added: “The plan and the scenario that seems to be the best scenario following the feasibility study that we did would be to build a three-season stadium with a retractable roof. And, of course, the retractable roof does change quite a bit in terms of what we can do with that stadium.
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“As of right now, you know, we have an agreement with the city, and so we have a limit of events that we can host during the year. And so, I believe that this will need to be part of the discussions with the city to better understand, you know, what’s their vision in terms of the usage of a venue like this one.
“We believe that, yes, we could host, certainly, a few more sporting events, for example. For sure, on our side, Davis Cup ties, Billie Jean King Cup ties are quite interesting. If we had a stadium like this, for example, Canada against France, it would be in Montreal, at home in our stadium. But without the roof, when you only have a few days to play that event, it’s too risky.”
309 492 spectateurs ont fait vibrer l’Omnium Banque Nationale présenté par Rogers en 2026, un nouveau record 🙌 Merci Montréal 🫶🎾
309,492 fans made the 2026 National Bank Open presented by Rogers one for the record books 🙌 Thank you, Montreal 🫶🎾#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/vEcmtytOh3
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) August 14, 2026
By the numbers
• There have been six different American men finalists in Canada: Andy Roddick (2002-04), Andre Agassi (2005), Mardy Fish (2011), Reilly Opelka (2021), Ben Shelton (2025-26) and Brandon Nakashima (2026).
• Ben Shelton (2025-26) is the eighth different man to win back-to-back Canadian championships. He joins Rafael Nadal (2018-19), Novak Djokovic (2011-12), Andy Murray (2009-10), Andre Agassi (1994-95), Ivan Lendl (1987-89), John McEnroe (1984-85) and Lendl (1980-81).
Lendl, Agassi, Djokovic, Nadal, Murray… Shelton 🤩
Joining a list of greats who have lifted back-to-back Canada titles 🏆@BenShelton #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/KeqR1phn3M
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2026
“Quotable …”
“With every match in this tournament I think it’s been a new opportunity for me, trying to take it one day at a time, trying to treat each match with the same attitude with any other match.
“Obviously … playing in the final, it’s going to be a new experience for me in a Masters 1000, but just trying to take it all in and trying to take it like any other match.”
– No. 28 seed Brandon Nakashima of the United States, during his post-match news conference Wednesday evening, looking ahead to facing Ben Shelton in the title match.
