The 2026 National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal has produced an all-American championship matchup: defending champion Ben Shelton vs. Brandon Nakashima.
Ben Shelton 🇺🇸 vs. Brandon Nakashima 🇺🇸
Shelton reached his second consecutive Montreal final by defeating Learner Tien 6–2, 6–3 in the semifinals. He controlled the match with his power and serving and will now have a chance to defend his Canadian Open title.
Nakashima earned the biggest result of his career by defeating 19-year-old Rafael Jodar 7–6(3), 6–4. It is his first ATP Masters 1000 final.
This is the first all-American ATP Masters 1000 final since 2003, when Andy Roddick defeated Mardy Fish in Cincinnati.
Shelton also has the historical edge: he has won all five previous meetings with Nakashima, including a three-set victory at last year’s Canadian Open.
Shelton’s serve and explosive forehand vs. Nakashima’s consistency and court coverage.
If Shelton is landing his first serve and dictating with his forehand, he can shorten points and put Nakashima under constant pressure. Nakashima’s best chance will be to extend rallies, absorb Shelton’s power and force him to play extra balls.
Shelton enters as the defending champion and the more experienced player at this stage of the tournament, but Nakashima arrives with enormous momentum after reaching his first Masters 1000 final.
Prediction: Shelton in 3 sets.
