Ben Shelton narrowly escaped a tense match against Flavio Cobolli on August 3 at the Canadian Open in Toronto, where a disputed gesture sparked a heated exchange between the two players. The American’s victory was sealed after a lengthy tie-break in a closely contested third set, highlighting Shelton’s resilience in this high-stakes Masters 1000 tournament encounter.
Controversy Erupts During Post-Match Handshake
After Shelton secured the win with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1) scoreline, tensions flared during the customary post-match handshake. The disagreement extended beyond the court as Cobolli began packing up, with Shelton questioning the Italian about a gesture he believed was directed at him during the tie-break. Cobolli maintained the gesture was not personal, leading to an animated exchange.
Shelton pressed the issue, at one point remarking, “But we are friends?” while Cobolli responded by emphasizing that not every action revolves around Shelton. Despite the back-and-forth, the two eventually shook hands twice more before Cobolli finally left the court. During his on-court interview, Shelton acknowledged seeing the gesture but accepted Cobolli’s explanation.
He just made a gesture in the tie-breaker, and I asked him about it. He said it wasn’t towards me, so we’re cool.
—Ben Shelton, Tennis Player
Milestone Win Qualifies Shelton for Toronto Quarterfinals
This hard-fought victory secured Shelton a spot in the quarterfinals at the Canadian Open for the first time in his professional career, marking a significant step forward on a prestigious Masters 1000 stage. Conversely, Cobolli fell short once again in reaching the tournament’s final four, with the last 16 remaining his best Masters 1000 performance to date.
The 23-year-old Shelton came into the tournament chasing his third overall career title and his first major title at this level. He had already won two tournaments in 2024, the Romanian Open against Sebastian Baez and the Hamburg Open by defeating Andrey Rublev, showcasing his growing prominence on the ATP Tour.
Shelton Reflects on the Intensity of His Match Against Cobolli
Had Cobolli won, it would have been his first full top 10 match victory, following a previous awarded walkover against World No. 9 Holger Rune in Madrid. Shelton’s win now advances him closer to breaking new ground at a Masters 1000 event and brings his total career tour-level wins to 100, making him the eighth player born in this century to accomplish this feat.
The matchup also evened their head-to-head record at 2-2, with Shelton maintaining a perfect 2-0 record against the Italian this season after defeating him earlier at the Mexican Open.
Really difficult match. I was down and out, being a break down in the third, the way he was playing. I gave myself a second chance, and I did a good job with it, kind of running from there. A really difficult opponent for me, someone who’s gotten me in three sets after I’ve won the first set twice.
—Ben Shelton, Tennis Player
Upcoming Challenge: Alex de Minaur Awaits Shelton in Quarterfinals
Next on Shelton’s path stands ninth seed Alex de Minaur, who earned his place by defeating Frances Tiafoe. This will mark the first career meeting between the two players, each seeking their maiden Masters 1000 title. De Minaur previously reached the Canadian Open final in 2023, losing to World No.1 Jannik Sinner.
De Minaur has had notable successes this season, reaching two finals and securing the Washington Open title over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Shelton, meanwhile, has reached one final this year in Munich but was defeated by home favorite Alexander Zverev.
As both players aim to claim their first big title at a Masters 1000 event, their upcoming clash promises to be a tightly contested and eagerly anticipated battle in Toronto.