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Shelton embraces the chase after Canadian Open title defence
Shelton defends Canadian Open crown and says he “loves” chasing Sinner and Alcaraz in 2026.
Ben Shelton says he “loves” the pursuit of catching Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz after successfully defending his Canadian Open crown.
The 23-year-old backed up last year’s breakthrough Masters 1000 triumph in Toronto with another commanding run, closing out Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) in Thursday’s final in Montreal.
That result made Shelton the fourth man this century to defend the Canada title, joining Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. It also came without the loss of a set, a striking turnaround after difficult exits at the French Open and Wimbledon earlier in the season.
The left-hander has climbed back to sixth in the ATP Tour rankings and has moved ahead of compatriot Taylor Fritz to become the American No 1.
Although Shelton lifted the trophy without having to go through Sinner, Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic, he made clear that he views them as the standard he wants to meet.
When asked how much confidence does this title win give him to challenge Sinner and Alcaraz, he replied, “Yeah. I think it’s a constant process for me. I love having people out in front of me that I can chase.
“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.
“And, you know, 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.
“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.
“So I think that 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 heads into Cincinnati as one of the leading names in the draw, with Sinner and Alcaraz both sidelined by knee and wrist injuries, respectively. He said the Montreal title was an important step, and felt his returning stood out as much as his serve.
“For me this week was a massive stepping stone, I would say even more than what I did in Toronto last year because the way that I did it.
“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 defence 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. And obviously we’re still early in this US Open swing and have a lot of hard court tennis to play through the rest of the year. So I’m just really looking forward to see what kind of damage I can do moving forward.”
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Sinner completes knee treatment as US Open build-up takes shape
Sinner has finished knee treatment and is now looking ahead to the 2026 US Open in New York.
Jannik Sinner’s preparations for the 2026 US Open have taken another step forward after a report said the Italian has completed shockwave therapy on his knee.
Sinner has not competed since beating Alexander Zverev in four sets in the Wimbledon final on 12 July, a result that allowed him to retain the title at the All England Club. His absence from the Canadian Open did not come as a major surprise, as he had also skipped that event in 2025. The more notable setback arrived when he pulled out of the Cincinnati Open.
The five-time Grand Slam champion said he withdrew from the Masters 1000 event because of a right knee injury. “After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” Sinner said.
“My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet.
“I can’t wait to be back next year and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the US Open.”
That decision means Sinner is not scheduled to play another tournament before the 2026 US Open, which begins on Sunday 30 August. A report in La Gazzetta dello Sport from journalist Richard Crivelli provided the latest update on his condition.
“The world No 1 remained until yesterday at JMedical in Turin, one of his primary clinical facilities, to complete shockwave therapy on the inflamed area,” Crivelli wrote.
“Now, he has a couple of days in Monte Carlo to celebrate his 25th birthday with his family, then between Monday and Tuesday, he’ll be packing his bags for New York.
“At that point, Jannik will have a dozen days of training [before the US Open].”
Sinner will be targeting a second US Open title in New York after lifting the trophy at Flushing Meadows in 2024. In 2025, he was beaten in the final by his biggest rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in four sets.
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Zverev set for Germany’s Davis Cup return in September
Zverev returns for Germany’s Davis Cup tie against Croatia with Finals qualification in sight.
Alexander Zverev will be back in Germany’s Davis Cup team when they face Croatia in their second-round tie in September.
He joins Yannick Hanfmann, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz in a squad that is targeting a place in the Finals at the end of the year. For Zverev, it will be his first Davis Cup appearance since the 2025 finals.
The German said he is eager to represent his country again in front of home support. He also pointed to the response in Halle after his Grand Slam victory as a reminder of the level of passion for tennis in Germany. “I’m really looking forward to playing for Germany again in front of a home crowd.
“The reception in Halle after my Grand Slam victory meant a lot to me and showed how great the enthusiasm for tennis is here,” said Zverev. “We want to have a great tennis weekend together and qualify for the finals again.”
Zverev has not always been comfortable with the way the competition has changed. He has previously criticised the Davis Cup format, especially after the 2025 switch away from home and away ties and toward an eight-team final in Bologna, Italy.
Speaking during the 2025 event, he said: “The true Davis Cup is the home-and-away ties. The real Davis Cup is the atmosphere. To play against Italy in Italy, it would be a completely different atmosphere than playing Italy in Spain. I played against Nadal in a bullfighting arena. That’s for me the real Davis Cup.
His frustrations were also evident after Germany played Argentina in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Finals. “Don’t you think it’s maybe a bit sad that this kind of match and the doubles attract at most a thousand people in the stadium? If we had played in Argentina or Germany, there might have been 15,000 people. In that respect, I find it a bit sad.”
Even so, Germany go in as one of the leading contenders, helped by Zverev’s form this year. Team captain Michael Kohlmann is confident in the group and wants the right balance in Halle. “Now it’s about bringing the perfect mix to the pitch and, together with the fans in Halle, creating two successful days that we will fondly remember.”
Zverev is still chasing his first Davis Cup title. His run to the semi-finals in 2025 was his best result so far, and he also owns a strong individual record for Germany with 11 wins and five losses in singles.
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Djokovic Eyes One More Major Chance at Flushing Meadows
Djokovic heads to the US Open with his best chance yet to chase a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Novak Djokovic still has a path to a 25th Grand Slam title, and the US Open now stands as his next chance to chase it.
The 39-year-old has produced a mixed Grand Slam season, yet he remains one of the defining forces on the ATP Tour. He began the year in strong form at the Australian Open, where he beat Jannik Sinner before falling to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in the final.
His run at Roland Garros ended much earlier. Despite taking a two-set lead against Joao Fonseca, Djokovic was beaten in the third round by the Brazilian teenager. Wimbledon brought a deeper run, with Djokovic reaching the semi-finals, only to lose to Sinner in straight sets.
The US Open could offer a more favorable opening. Alcaraz is due to return to tennis at Flushing Meadows after a five-month absence, while Sinner is managing a knee injury that forced him out of the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. Djokovic, by contrast, says he is feeling stronger than he has in recent years.
Speaking to Eurosport, Djokovic said: “I honestly wanted to have one tournament coming into the US Open. I haven’t played since Wimbledon and my body reacted quite well after Wimbledon. It was the best that my body felt after any Grand Slam in the last two years.
“In the other Grand Slams I’ve played in the last two years, I’ve had some kind of injury, different severity that took more time for me to address and come back competing. This time I was healthy and I really wanted to play, so here I am.”
Over the past two seasons, Djokovic has again shown that he is the leading Grand Slam performer outside Sinner and Alcaraz. Fonseca’s win at Roland Garros was the only defeat of Djokovic by a player outside the top two in the past three seasons.
He will also play the Cincinnati Open, which should help him sharpen his game on North American hard courts before the US Open begins. With his body feeling fresh and both Alcaraz and Sinner carrying question marks, Djokovic may see this as his best remaining opportunity to add to his history.
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