Ben Shelton suggests how Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have helped him after he wins the Canadian Open
Last year, when Ben Shelton won his first-ever Masters 1000 title in Canada, many began tipping him to soon take the next step towards challenging for a Grand Slam.
Sadly, that has yet to come to fruition.
However, to have now defended that crown in Montreal, the American has proven he is capable of routinely challenging at the very apex of the sport. He now has to realise the potential that many predicted this time last year.
Interestingly, he seems acutely aware of this phenomenon, so much so that he actually made reference to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in his post-match press conference after claiming another Canadian Open title.
Ben Shelton claims he’s ready to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
It was one of the very first questions he was asked by reporters in the Montreal media room, and arguably the most pertinent.
After all, winning titles of this magnitude is huge for confidence and his legacy, but everyone is waiting for him, and others, to prove they can actually compete with the overwhelming dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz.
Who is the new Cincinnati Open favourite following the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and why? ⬇️
Shelton currently has a 1-12 combined win-loss record against the world’s two best players, and if he is to ever win a major, this will have to change dramatically.
Asked whether this latest title in Canada will give him the confidence to kick on, he admitted: “Yeah. I think it’s a constant process for me. I love having people out in front of me that I can chase. It’s been that way my whole career. I’ve never just been the best. I’ve always been chasing the best. Been a little bit behind, you could say, in my progression, and I think that’s pushed me in every aspect of my tennis game.
“And, you know, I’ll continue to work, to chase the guys that are in front of me. Obviously, try to stay ahead of these young guys that are coming out on tour.
“I played a lot of young guys this week. The future of the sport, really, really high-quality players, and they’re not stopping. There’s so many more that are coming up.
“So I think that tennis is a game that you gotta keep improving or you get passed up, you get left in the dust. And so my job with the gifts that I have is to try to maximise, do as much as I can in the sport, become the best version of myself, and that’s where my focus lies.”
Even before last night’s final, Shelton had proven he was ready to challenge for a Grand Slam title. In a few weeks, he will get the perfect opportunity to showcase that in New York.
Ben Shelton could capitalise at the Cincinnati Open
If he is to topple either of these two superstars, it will have to be at the US Open.
After all, with Sinner nursing a new knee issue, and Alcaraz still recovering from his wrist injury, neither will be present at the Cincinnati Open.
Last year, Shelton managed a run to the quarter-finals in Ohio straight after his Canadian Open title.
Which American ATP player will be the next to win a major title, where and when?
Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title – At the 2003 US Open…
This year, he has a golden opportunity to capitalise on the absence of this fearsome duo and maybe add another new Masters 1000 title to his trophy cabinet.
Alexander Zverev halted his Cincinnati Open run in 2025, but Shelton should, in theory, be even stronger this year. There’s no reason why he couldn’t go back-to-back, becoming the first man to do so since Rafael Nadal in 2013.
