Ben Shelton Triumphs Over Fritz in All-American Semifinal at Toronto’s National Bank Open
In a battle of American tennis titans under the lights of the National Bank Open, 22-year-old Ben Shelton claimed a commanding straight-sets victory over compatriot Taylor Fritz, booking his spot in the final of the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event.
The fourth seed showed grit and confidence as he overcame second-seeded Fritz 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday night, August 6, 2025.
This showdown took place in front of an energetic Canadian crowd at Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium, with the match slightly delayed due to a hiccup in the electronic line-calling system.
With the win, Shelton is now set to face Russia’s Karen Khachanov, seeded 11th, who edged past Germany’s Alexander Zverev in a tense three-set encounter earlier in the day. The Russian needed every ounce of resilience to close out the match 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4), surviving a match point along the way.
“I’ve seen so many big improvements in my game this week, that’s what I’m most happy about, how I’m executing, how little I’m hesitating, how I’m returning,” Shelton shared after the win.
“There are a lot of things to be proud about and beating two top-10 guys back-to-back is huge for me.”
This marks a significant milestone in the young American’s career as he chases his third ATP Tour title. He previously lifted trophies in Tokyo (2023) on hard courts and in Houston (2024) on clay. And judging by his current form, a third doesn’t seem far off.
“I’m just really excited to see myself executing like this, not wondering if the shot is going to go in or out, but expecting it to go in,” Shelton added with visible satisfaction.
On the other side of the net, Fritz, now 26 and a ten-time ATP champion, had little answer to Shelton’s dynamic performance. Despite claiming grass-court titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne earlier this year, Fritz couldn’t find his rhythm in Toronto.
The match began with a 15-minute delay caused by technical issues with the automated line system, adding a layer of tension before the first ball was even struck. But Shelton, undeterred, settled in quickly and took control.
Meanwhile, Khachanov’s semifinal was far from smooth sailing. The Russian faced a match point against Zverev, the tournament’s top seed in the absence of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but held his nerve.
“Today was a real close one,” Khachanov admitted. “I was match-point down. If the ball touches the net and drops over, we wouldn’t be talking now.”
Zverev, the 2017 Toronto champion and world number 3, was quick to acknowledge his rocky start.
“The first set was terrible,” he said. “I kind of gave him a headstart, and he’s too good to not use that.”
As Shelton prepares to go toe-to-toe with Khachanov in what promises to be a thrilling final, the American’s rise continues to generate serious buzz on the ATP Tour.
From hard-hitting serves to fearless returns, Ben Shelton is quickly becoming one of the sport’s most talked-about names — and this Toronto run might just be his defining moment yet.
This news was reported from Toronto, Canada, and includes coverage relevant to UK readers following the global tennis circuit.
