Ben Shelton capped off a phenomenal campaign in Montréal by clinching his second Canadian Open title in a row and his fourth trophy of the season on Thursday, August 13. The American defeated compatriot Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final to lift his seventh career trophy.
He raced to the stands to celebrate the win with his family, including his mother, and his coaching team. The special moment was captured on camera and stole the spotlight.
Ben Shelton Lifts Second Canadian Open Trophy
Shelton began his title defense without the weight of expectations, admitting that his primary focus was on the ATP Race to the Finals. The American had endured a rather inconsistent journey leading up to Montréal this year, winning three titles but struggling to string together victories outside of those events.
Montréal, however, proved to be a turning point. It was the first Masters 1000 tournament this year where Shelton managed to win consecutive matches — and he did so without dropping a single set. His run to the title included victories over Jenson Brooksby, Zizou Bergs, João Fonseca, Jakub Menšík, and Learner Tien before he capped off his campaign with a win over Brandon Nakashima.
Alongside his father and coach, Bryan, Shelton also had his uncle and mother, Lisa — a former junior tennis player — in the stands to witness his victory. Afterward, Shelton embraced his loved ones, while his sister, Emma, joined him on court for the trophy photoshoot.
During his champion’s speech, the 23-year-old acknowledged his faith and expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support of his entourage. “First of all, and most importantly, I want to thank God. I would be nowhere without my faith. That’s what’s most important to me.”
“I want to thank my team. It’s crazy that we were here a year ago,” he said, recalling his maiden Masters 1000 title in Toronto.
“…This has been a fun ride, and we’re only getting started, but to my family, you guys have been there since the beginning and always supported me. My uncle, he’ll fly to Australia to see me, and I don’t know how many uncles will do that, so, to my parents, Uncle Rick, I appreciate you guys; love you guys,” he said.
Ben Shelton joined an elite list of only six other men, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andre Agassi, who have won back-to-back titles in Canada. He also reclaimed his American No. 1 position, leapfrogging Taylor Fritz to assume the World No. 6 position.
Shelton will now turn his attention to the Cincinnati Open as he continues his preparations for the US Open. As the eighth seed, he awaits either qualifier Jaime Faria or a rematch against Jenson Brooksby in the second round.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.