Ben Shelton admits he needs to continuously improve his game if he wants to compete against the very best players in the world after successfully defending his title at the Canadian Masters.
The world No.6 downed compatriot Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) without facing a break point throughout the 90-minute match. Shelton hit 22 winners against 12 unforced errors and was particularly efficient behind his first serve, winning 32 out of 37 points. He has become the first player to win back-to-back Canadian Open titles since Rafael Nadal and the third to have won the tournament without dropping a set since 1990.
“This week was a massive stepping stone, I would say even more than what I did in Toronto last year because of the way that I did it,” Shelton said during his press conference.
“I thought I was much more clinical, more focused. I was an elite returner at times. But the way that I was able to break serve, the fashion in which I did it, my ability to play defense and offense, I’m excited with the way that I’m progressing.
“Throughout this season on the hardcourts I felt that each tournament I’ve gotten better and better.”
Shelton has won four titles since January, with his others being at two 500 events in Dallas and Munich, as well as a 250 in Stuttgart. Until this year, he had never won multiple titles within the same season on the ATP Tour. To make the surge in silverware more remarkable, he has also failed to win back-to-back matches at nine other tournaments since January.
The American admits there is still room for improvement heading into the US Open, especially against the big guns. This year’s tournament in Montreal featured numerous upsets, and Shelton never played an opponent with a top 10 seeding. The highest he faced was Learner Tien, who was 12th. He currently has two wins over top 10 opposition this year, which were both against Taylor Fritz.
“I love having people out in front of me that I can chase,” he explained.
“It’s been that way my whole career. I’ve never just been the best. I’ve always been chasing the best. Been a little bit behind, you could say, in my progression, and I think that’s pushed me in every aspect of my tennis game.
“I’ll continue to work, to chase the guys that are in front of me. Obviously try to stay ahead of these young guys that are coming out on Tour.”
There are currently five players aged 22 or under in the ATP top 30, with the youngest being Rafael Jodar. Shelton, who is 23, believes this bodes well for the future.
“I played a lot of young guys this week. The future of the sport, really, really high-quality players, and they’re not stopping. There’s so many more that are coming up.” He said.
“Tennis is a game that you gotta keep improving or you get passed up, you get left in the dust. And so my job with the gifts that I have is to try to maximize, do as much as I can in the sport, become the best version of myself, and that’s where my focus lies.”
Shelton will next play at the Cincinnati Open, where he is defending quarter-final points.
