Brandon Nakashima, a 28th-seeded American, made a surprising leap to the National Bank Open men’s singles final after never reaching an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal before. He secured his spot in the final by defeating Rafael Jodar, a rising star and crowd favorite, with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the semifinals.
Expressing his excitement, Nakashima emphasized the hard work that led him to this moment. He will compete against defending champion Ben Shelton in an all-American final. Shelton, the fifth seed, swiftly defeated Learner Tien 6-2, 6-3 in just 84 minutes.
Nakashima dominated the rallies, especially on serve, securing 68% of his first-service points and displaying impressive accuracy with 85% of his first serves in play. Jodar, aged 19 and seeded 20th, struggled against Nakashima’s aggressive returns, managing to land only 59% of his first serves and winning just 51% of his second-serve points.
Despite Jodar’s frustration, Nakashima acknowledged the importance of his forehand and serve in securing the victory. The loss marked the end of a remarkable run for Jodar, who had been aiming to become the youngest Canadian Open finalist since Rafael Nadal in 2005.
The intense match concluded with Nakashima serving for the win at 5-4 in the second set, facing fierce resistance from Jodar. However, Nakashima held his ground and sealed the victory after a series of thrilling exchanges. Shelton, aged 23, also displayed dominance in his match against Tien, showcasing an impressive performance on serve to set up a chance to defend his title.
In the women’s event, Iga Swiatek secured a spot in the WTA Tour final after defeating Elina Svitolina in a challenging three-set match. Swiatek’s victory sets up a final showdown with either Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina. The final was scheduled for the following night.
Swiatek, the No. 7 seed and a six-time Grand Slam champion, demonstrated her prowess by breaking Svitolina’s serve and clinching the match in two hours and 17 minutes. The intense battle saw momentum shifts, delays due to weather conditions, and a determined performance from both players.
The match showcased the top talent in the tournament, with all four semifinalists ranked in the top 10. This year’s competition marked a rare occurrence where all semifinalists were among the top-ranked players, reminiscent of the 2000 National Bank Open when elite players like Martina Hingis and Serena Williams competed for the title.