Montreal: Defending champion Shelton advances to National Bank Open quarterfinals
Ben Shelton, the defending champion, has advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal. Shelton defeated Joao Fonseca in the Round of 16 on Sunday night at IGA Stadium.
Shelton secured his victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win. He managed to rally from an early break in both sets during the match. The American player expressed satisfaction with his ability to recover during the game.
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The fifth-seeded Shelton faced challenging windy conditions on the centre court. He delivered serves approaching 230 kilometres per hour, recording five aces compared to none for Fonseca. Shelton also put 71 per cent of his first serves into play.
Fonseca, the No. 22 seed, had three double faults and landed 64 per cent of his first serves, winning 58 per cent of those points. The Brazilian player attributed his loss to his own serving performance, stating, “He served well, I served bad.”
Shelton, currently ranked No. 10 in the world, is the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament. This follows several withdrawals and early exits from other top competitors. He previously won his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto last year.
Match Progression and Key Moments
In the opening set, Shelton took control with a late break, establishing a 5-3 lead. A game that lasted 19 minutes saw him convert his second break opportunity after trading points through several deuces. He then held serve, concluding the set with a well-placed lob and a forehand winner.
Fonseca started the second set strongly, breaking Shelton with a lob and taking a 3-0 lead. However, a moment of discomfort occurred when Fonseca appeared to twist his right ankle while defending a break point. He later stated that the injury was “nothing serious,” describing it as a momentary scare.
The momentum of the match appeared to shift after this incident. Shelton broke back when Fonseca sent a backhand wide, subsequently holding serve to level the set at 3-3. Fonseca managed to regain a 6-5 lead, fending off a break point with a forehand winner, but Shelton forced a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Shelton quickly gained a 3-0 advantage as Fonseca struggled with his serve. Fonseca then sent a backhand wide on serve, giving Shelton a 6-2 lead and four match points. The match concluded when Fonseca put a backhand into the net two points later.
Looking Ahead to the Quarterfinals
Shelton is set to face No. 13 seed Jakub Mensik of Czechia in the quarterfinals. Mensik, who is 20 years old, defeated Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday night. Mensik noted that he and Shelton know each other well, anticipating a match focused on serves.
Earlier on Sunday, 20-year-old American Learner Tien also advanced to the quarterfinals. Tien secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina. He will next play against Daniel Merida Aguilar of Spain, who defeated Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-1.
Tien, along with Mensik and 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar, represents a group of young players making their way into the later stages of the tournament. The tournament saw withdrawals from world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic before it began, and many top seeds, including Félix Auger-Aliassime, exited early due to injuries or losses.
Shelton has reached his seventh quarterfinal at an ATP Masters 1000 event with this win.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
