Ben Shelton secured his spot in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto by defeating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American semifinal. At 22 years old, Shelton has become the first American born in the 2000s to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final.

In his on-court interview, Shelton expressed his excitement: “I’m pretty excited. This has been a great week for me. My level’s gotten better every single match and the crowds have gotten louder every single match, so I appreciate you guys. You guys have kept me going.”

Shelton, ranked No. 7, will face Karen Khachanov, a former No. 8, for the title on Thursday night. This match-up marks a significant moment for Shelton, highlighting his rise in the tennis ranks.

The semifinal saw intense moments early on, with both players fending off early break points. Fritz saved a break point in the opening game, while Shelton saved two in the second game. After this, Fritz did not get another break point opportunity.

Shelton served exceptionally well, losing only nine points in eight service games without facing deuce. He broke Fritz three times in the following nine service games, including the final game where Fritz double-faulted on match point to conclude the match.

This victory came after Shelton’s quarterfinal win over Alex de Minaur, marking the first occasion in his career where he defeated Top 10 opponents in consecutive matches. His win against Fritz equals his biggest career win by ranking, matching his previous victory over Jannik Sinner, who was ranked No. 4, at Shanghai in 2023.

After his four-set loss to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final, Carlos Alcaraz showed remarkable composure and readiness as he arrived at the Cincinnati Open. The Spaniard, who had maintained an unblemished 5-0 record in major finals including consecutive Wimbledon titles in 2023 and 2024, explained how he quickly regained his equilibrium.

“I obviously didn’t want to lose any finals that I play, even more if it’s a Wimbledon final or a Grand Slam final,” said Alcaraz. “I left the court happy. I left the court proud. I left the court smiling, just thinking, ‘Ok, at some point, I have to lose a Grand Slam final. Everyone does.’ I’m just proud.”

He added that his recovery took “hours, not even days,” emphasizing gratitude for his achievements and the experience of reaching a Wimbledon final, despite the setback. Alcaraz’s approach underscores a maturity beyond his 22 years, as he transitioned swiftly from a brief summer break into preparing for the upcoming US Open season.

Alcaraz’s summer vacation involved completely stepping away from training and the gym, preferring rest over exercise. “For myself, when I’m off, I’m off,” he said with a smile. He recounted how he chose sleep over keeping up with friends’ morning runs, simply waiting for them with breakfast.

Having skipped the National Bank Open in Toronto, Alcaraz enters Cincinnati refreshed and eager to capture a Masters title that has eluded him so far. His near-miss in Cincinnati last year saw him lose a memorable final to Novak Djokovic.

His burgeoning rivalry with Sinner remains one of the key narratives in men’s tennis. The pair have shared the last seven trophies almost evenly, with Sinner holding a slight edge in recent Grand Slam finals. Alcaraz leads their overall head-to-head 8-5 but acknowledges the significance of their contest.

“I’m really happy to be building such a great rivalry against Jannik,” he said. “Jannik and I, we’ve done great things in tennis already in such a short period. I let the people talk about our rivalry or the things we have done for the history books. I’m thinking about the history we’re making in tennis, but I think we have such long careers ahead, just to see how far we can go. If we already made history in tennis or not, that’s just for the people to discuss.”

Since their inception in 1990, ATP Masters 1000 tournaments have been the most prestigious events after the Grand Slams and ATP Finals. Despite their significance, a number of accomplished players have yet to capture one of these elusive titles. We profile five of the finest players who reached Masters finals but never emerged victorious.

Frenchman Gael Monfils, with 13 ATP titles including three at the ATP 500 level, made three Masters 1000 finals but fell short each time: against Novak Djokovic in Paris (2009), Robin Soderling in Paris (2010), and Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo (2016). A career-high No. 6 in the world, Monfils also reached semi-finals in two Grand Slams and won 38 matches over top-10 opponents.

American Todd Martin reached one Masters final at the 1993 Canadian Open, losing to Mikael Pernfors. Despite eight ATP titles and two Grand Slam finals appearances, the Masters crown remained out of reach. Martin peaked at No. 4 globally and notched 34 top-10 wins in his career.

Canadian Milos Raonic, who peaked at No. 3 and accumulated eight ATP titles, was runner-up four times in Masters events, losing to Nadal and Djokovic. His lone Grand Slam final came at Wimbledon 2016, where he was defeated by Andy Murray.

Kei Nishikori won 12 ATP titles including six ATP 500 events but lost in four Masters finals, twice to Nadal and twice to Djokovic. Nishikori reached a career-high No. 4 and compiled 40 wins over top-10 opponents, with a Grand Slam final loss to Marin Cilic in 2014 marking his best Slam showing.

Undoubtedly the most decorated player without a Masters 1000 title is Yevgeny Kafelnikov. The former world No. 1 and dual Grand Slam champion won 26 ATP titles, earned Olympic gold in 2000, but lost all five Masters finals he contested to the likes of Andrei Medvedev, Thomas Enqvist, and Sebastian Grosjean. His career included six seasons in the top six and 46 wins over top-10 players.

Other notable names without a Masters title include Richard Gasquet, Fernando Gonzalez, Kevin Anderson, Matteo Berrettini, Fernando Verdasco, and Nick Kyrgios.