August 07, 2025 • Tennis Analytics

Ben Shelton Seeks Historic Win vs Karen Khachanov in Toronto

Written August 07, 2025, about the events of that week. For today's numbers see the live Elo & Glicko rankings or who is moving now.

American Ben Shelton plays veteran Karen Khachanov for the National Bank Open title in Toronto. The first Thursday final at a Masters 1000 event pits a rising player seeking his biggest career title against an established one trying to get back near the top.

Head-to-Head: Shelton leads their series 1-0, having won their only previous encounter in straight sets at Indian Wells earlier this year.

Tonight's National Bank Open final in Toronto matches two different styles and career stages: 22-year-old Ben Shelton against 29-year-old Karen Khachanov. Shelton, the youngest American to reach a Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick in 2004, is the bookmakers' favorite with American odds listed between -170 and -175. Khachanov, seeking his first Masters 1000 title since his 2018 Paris triumph, is a strong underdog with odds around +140.

Shelton's run to his first Masters 1000 final has been built on power and growing maturity. After some tough early-round matches, he hit his stride, securing back-to-back Top 10 victories over Alex de Minaur and fellow American Taylor Fritz. In his semifinal win against Fritz, Shelton fired 22 unreturned serves and showcased an impressive baseline game, winning in just 78 minutes.

On the other side of the net, Khachanov has had to grind. His run included victories over three seeded players, culminating in a grueling two-hour, 53-minute semifinal where he saved a match point to beat top seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4). The Russian has survived several close matches this week.

There is more than the title at stake. A win for No. 7 Shelton would be his first Masters 1000 title and would lift him to a career-high No. 6 in the world rankings, swapping places with Novak Djokovic. For Khachanov, a victory would mark a significant return to form and return him to his career-best ranking of No. 8, a position he last held in 2019.

Their only prior meeting came at Indian Wells this year, where Shelton emerged victorious in straight sets (6-3, 7-5). That encounter saw Shelton's aggressive style overwhelm Khachanov. The final will produce a new champion in Toronto for the fifth consecutive year, and the winner will go to the US Open as a serious contender.