Toronto Masters: Rolex ambassador Shelton defeats Khachanov to claim his first Masters title

On August 8, 2025, the ATP 1000 Toronto Masters crowned its singles champion. Rolex ambassador and men's singles fourth seed Shelton narrowly defeated eleventh seed Khachanov with a score of 6-7(5)/6-4/7-6(3), securing his first Masters title.

Shelton's previous best performance in ATP 1000 Masters singles was reaching the quarterfinals three times. In this tournament, he eliminated ninth seed De Minaur in the quarterfinals and defeated second seed Fritz in the semifinals, marking his first appearance in the finals. Shelton had faced Khachanov earlier this season at the ATP 1000 Indian Wells Masters, where he won in straight sets.

In the final match, Shelton lost a crucial lead of 5-3 in the first set tiebreak, allowing Khachanov to win four consecutive points and take the advantage. In the second set, after breaking serve at the end, Shelton saved four break points in his service game to level the set at 6-4. The deciding set saw both players battle through to a tiebreak, where Shelton ultimately captured the championship with a score of 7-3.

After winning his first career Masters title, Shelton's world ranking surpassed Djokovic, rising to No. 6. He also became the youngest American player to win a Masters title since Roddick at the ATP Miami Masters in 2004. At the awards ceremony, Shelton expressed, “I’m lucky to have won this match, and I’m glad to see you (Khachanov) challenging for the top ten again. You are a great friend and an excellent competitor. Win or lose, you are always that kind person, a gentle giant, and it’s an honor to compete with you. I hope we can have more finals together in the future.”

Shelton's Path to Victory

First Round: Bye

Second Round: 6-2/6-3 Mannarino[Q]

Third Round: 6-7(8)/6-2/7-6(5) Nakashima[25]

Fourth Round: 6-4/4-6/7-6(1) Cobolli[13]

Quarterfinals: 6-3/6-4 De Minaur[9]

Semifinals: 6-4/6-3 Fritz[2]

Final: 6-7(5)/6-4/7-6(3) Khachanov[11]

(Written and edited by: Dato, Images: Visual China)