Alex de Minaur’s bid for success at the Canadian Open ended as he succumbed to 28 unforced errors, allowing American Ben Shelton to secure his place in the semi-finals. Shelton, the fourth seed, outperformed the ninth-seeded De Minaur with a convincing score of 6-3, 6-4, marking his first appearance in the final four of an ATP Masters 1000 event.
During the match, Shelton demonstrated his baseline prowess, winning 32 points compared to De Minaur’s 29, as well as holding a 12-7 advantage in longer rallies. Over the course of the 91-minute match, he delivered an impressive 13 aces alongside eight forehand winners. Reflecting on his performance, Shelton expressed satisfaction with his mental toughness and highlighted De Minaur’s reputation as a formidable practice opponent.
De Minaur, however, maintained his position at eighth in the world rankings, while Shelton moved up to seventh. At just 20 years old, Shelton etched his name in history as the youngest American to reach the Masters 1000 semi-finals since Andy Roddick two decades ago.
Shelton also spoke about how perceptions of him as predominantly a server have shifted. He noted that by focusing on his rally game, he can surprise opponents and thrive in longer exchanges. “Winning longer rallies and being comfortable in my own skin… is a huge part of my evolution,” he explained.
Should Shelton win the tournament, he stands to rise to sixth in the world rankings, surpassing tennis great Novak Djokovic. In the other semi-final, top seed Alexander Zverev, a former Montreal champion, will face off against eleventh-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the tournament.