It will be an all-American final at the National Bank Open in Montreal, as defending champion Ben Shelton will oppose Brandon Nakashima for the championship on Thursday.
Shelton, the fifth seed, trounced 12th-seeded Learner Tien 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals on Wednesday night.
Nakashima, the 28th seed, defeated 20th-seeded Rafael Jodar of Spain 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the day’s first semifinal.
Shelton is headed to his second career ATP Masters 1000 final, looking to repeat his success last year at the National Bank Open when it was held in Toronto. He owns a 3-0 record in tournament finals this year, having prevailed in Dallas, Munich and Stuttgart.
Shelton saved all four break points he faced on Wednesday while winning 81% of his first-serve points. He wound up with a 22-13 edge in winners, and Tien committed more unforced errors, 30-23.
In reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final, Nakashima topped Jodar by winning 81% of his first-serve points. A lengthy final game punctuated things, with Nakashima saving four break points and finally converting his third match point in that game and his fifth overall.
“It was crazy, the last few games were super tight,” Nakashima said. “I knew I had to keep fighting and fight off a couple of break points, but luckily my serve hit the spots when I needed it to and super happy to get through that one.”
In the first-ever meeting between Nakashima, 25, and Jodar, 19, the American recorded 28 winners and six aces. Jodar had 21 winners and four aces.
Nakashima is up to No. 22 in the live rankings and will jump to a career-best ranking later this week regardless of the Thursday result.
Jodar has risen from No. 165 up to No. 11 over the course of the 2026 season, culminating in a strong run this week, as he dispatched 11th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, eighth-seeded Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic and 18th-seeded Arthur Fils of France to reach the semis.
Both players were in their first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal match.
“It is a great feeling,” Nakashima said. “It is a great time to be part of American tennis, so many guys doing well these days, so happy to be a part of it.”
Shelton owns a 5-0 career edge against Nakashima. Their most recent meeting came in the round of 32 last year at Toronto, where Shelton eked out a 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory.
–Field Level Media
