TORONTO — Ben Shelton found himself in a tight spot.
The emerging tennis talent was trailing 4-2 and 5-4 in the third set during his fourth-round clash against Flavio Cobolli, illuminated by the night at the National Bank Open.
However, Shelton summoned an impressive comeback to clinch his spot in the quarterfinals.
After the match, a tense exchange occurred between the two players following their handshake, as the 22-year-old American believed Cobolli had directed a gesture at him during the tiebreak of Canada’s premier men’s tournament.
“He insisted it wasn’t aimed at me,” Shelton noted after defeating Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (1). “We cleared things up in the locker room … it’s all good.”
With two tournament victories under his belt, Shelton improved his head-to-head record against the 23-year-old to 2-2, having previously triumphed in Acapulco in February.
“I stayed mentally strong,” said the Atlanta native. “(Cobolli) posed a lot of challenges during the match. He played exceptionally well and is incredibly fast, able to neutralize many of my strengths.”
Ranking a career-high seventh in the ATP standings, Shelton reached the semifinals in Washington last week after facing eventual champion — and world No. 1 — Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon.
Second-seeded Taylor Fritz of the United States, now ranked fourth, matched up against No. 19 Jiri Lehecka, winning 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5) in a grueling match that stretched close to three hours.
Shelton is set to face No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, after the Australian defeated No. 7 Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 earlier in the day at the ATP 1000 Masters event.
The powerful lefty started strong by breaking Cobolli twice in the opening set on the breezy Centre Court at Sobeys Stadium.
“My game is well-suited for these conditions,” Shelton stated. “It enhances my strengths, but if you’re not used to playing in these circumstances throughout the year, adjusting can be tricky.”
The 17th-ranked Cobolli broke serve to lead 2-1 in the second set and required assistance for his right leg from a trainer during a changeover.
Shelton faced a 4-2 deficit in the third set, with Cobolli positioned to serve for the match at 5-4; however, Shelton countered with a break and held serve emphatically.
Both players battled fiercely leading into the tiebreak, but Shelton sealed the win with a commanding 12th ace.
Following the match, emotions flared as the two exchanged spirited words, amidst a crowd that included former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi.
“This is always a tough matchup for me,” Shelton admitted. “I’m thrilled to have come through it.”
Shelton’s father and coach, former pro Bryan Shelton, was on his feet, cheering on his son in the clutch moments of the intense match.
“He’s been part of this journey since day one — since I was born,” chuckled the power-serving American. “Sharing this experience with him has been incredibly special.”
De Minaur, ranked No. 8 globally, reached the Toronto finals in 2023 but fell to Sinner — alongside top competitors like No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, No. 5 Jack Draper of Britain, and No. 6 Novak Djokovic of Serbia who are missing from this US$9.19-million hardcourt event.
“I reminded myself that this venue holds great memories,” said the 26-year-old de Minaur. “If I keep pushing myself and showing up, good tennis will follow.”
Shelton and de Minaur have practiced together before, but Tuesday will be their first official encounter.
“He’s a bulldog … and that’s a compliment,” Shelton remarked about last week’s Washington champion. “Very quick, he’s in fantastic form. When he’s down, he can never be counted out.”
No. 6 Andrey Rublev of Russia also progressed to the quarters following Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s retirement, with the match ending at 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 3-0.
Rublev, who was two points from defeat in the second set, reached last year’s NBO finals in Montreal and will take on Fritz on Tuesday.
“Conditions were challenging yet again,” said the 27-year-old, currently ranked 11th in the world. “The wind was significant, and he was playing quite well.”
The quarterfinal slate for Monday includes top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany facing defending champion and No. 18 Alexei Popyrin from Australia. No. 11 Karen Khachanov of Russia is set to confront No. 26 Alex Michelsen in the evening match.
The tournament, hosted at the York University campus, will continue through Thursday.
