Ben Shelton, the 22-year-old American tennis player, has advanced to his first career ATP Masters 1000 final after defeating compatriot Taylor Fritz in the semifinals of the National Bank Open. Shelton won the match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Shelton, who is currently ranked seventh in the world. He secured back-to-back wins against top 10 players, having also defeated Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals. Shelton, who earlier in the tournament notched his 100th tour-level win, is scheduled to face Karen Khachanov in the final.
Should Shelton win the title, he will move up to a career-high ranking of world No. 6. The final is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Shelton's Tournament Run
Shelton's path to the final has included several hard-fought matches. Before his victories over Fritz and de Minaur, he had a challenging three-set win against Flavio Cobolli in the Round of 16, where he rallied from a deficit in the final set. He also secured wins against Brandon Nakashima and Adrian Mannarino in earlier rounds.
This latest achievement adds to a successful 2025 season for Shelton, which has seen him reach the semifinals of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
Personal Life and Family Support
Off the court, Shelton's personal life has also been in the news. His girlfriend, soccer star Trinity Rodman, has been publicly cheering him on. Rodman, a forward for the Washington Spirit and the US Women's National Team, has recently returned to play after a back injury. The couple has been showing mutual support on social media, with Shelton's father, Bryan Shelton, also following Rodman's comeback.