Ben Shelton and Brandon Nakashima are set to face off in the Canadian Masters Final on Thursday night in Montreal. This marks an all-American championship match, with both players aiming for a significant career victory.
Shelton is the defending champion of the event, though the men's tournament was held in Toronto last year. Nakashima is seeking his first ATP trophy since winning his maiden title in San Diego in 2022.
Shelton, the higher-ranked player, enters the final as a -245 favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook, holding a 5-0 head-to-head record against Nakashima. Shelton has advanced to the final without dropping a set, defeating opponents including Jenson Brooksby, Zizou Bergs, Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik, and Learner Tien. Notably, top players such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic are absent from this tournament.
Nakashima reached the final after a significant win over Rafael Jodar in the semifinals, defeating him in straight sets. While not as dominant on the scoreboard as Shelton throughout the tournament, Nakashima has demonstrated resilience, outlasting top-30 opponents like Luciano Darderi and Arthur Rinderknech. His versatility has been a key factor in his run.
Despite Shelton's undefeated record in their previous encounters, most of their matches have been tightly contested. In their 12 total sets played, seven have gone to tiebreakers, and three others concluded with a 7-5 scoreline in Shelton's favor. This suggests that the upcoming final could be closer than the odds indicate. The betting prediction favors Nakashima on the moneyline at +198.