Ben Shelton earns seven-figure fortune winning – Sports News
Ben Shelton got here from a set down to defeat Karen Khachanov within the Canadian Open ultimate, securing his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 title and incomes $1,124,380 in prize money.
Shelton’s prize was the biggest within the historical past of the Canadian Open, and the 22-year-old might be full of confidence heading into the U.S. Open, which additionally boasts a file prize pool. Shelton misplaced the primary set tie-break towards Khachanov, moments after play was interrupted as 18-year-old Victoria Mboko beat Naomi Osaka within the ladies’s ultimate.
The American battled back within the second to pressure a decisive set, and this time Shelton overcame Khachanov within the tie-break. It was Shelton’s first-ever ATP 1000 ultimate, and one of his most spectacular tournaments up to now.
Both gamers fought off elite competitors to succeed in the ultimate, and Shelton made American historical past within the course of. Shelton additionally turned the youngest American man to succeed in a Masters 1000 ultimate since Andy Roddick in 2004.
Shelton had solely dropped one set during his path to the Canadian Open ultimate, towards Flavio Cobolli. The 22-year-old overcame top-level opponents resembling Brandon Nakashima, Alex de Minaur, and Taylor Fritz.
De Minaur and Fritz are ranked inside the ATP high 10, and Shelton turned the youngest American since Pete Sampras to realize successive high 10 wins in an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final and semifinal.
Shelton was aged 22 years and 291 days when he achieved the feat on Thursday evening. Sampras was aged 20 years and 364 days when he did so on the 1992 Cincinnati Open.
It’s been a breakthrough 12 months for Shelton, who first made a identify for himself on the large stage when reaching the semifinal of the U.S. Open in 2023. He reached the semifinal of the Australian Open earlier this 12 months and achieved his best finishes on the French Open and Wimbledon.
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“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 mentioned after beating Fritz on Thursday. “There are a lot of things to be proud about, and beating two top-10 guys back-to-back is huge for me.
“I’m simply actually excited to see myself executing like this. Not questioning if the shot goes to go in or out, however anticipating it to go in.”
Khachanov beat high seed Alexander Zverev within the semifinal, as he edged a decisive set tie-break towards the German. Khachanov additionally beat No. 8 seed Casper Ruud on his path to the ultimate, his first at an ATP Masters 1000 occasion since he beat Novak Djokovic in 2018.
Shelton had solely confronted Khachanov as soon as earlier than, beating him earlier this 12 months at Indian Wells. Now, Shelton is 2-0 towards Khachanov, winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title in model.
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