Brandon Nakashima, a 28th-seeded American, achieved his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal this week and is now set to compete in the National Bank Open men’s singles final. Nakashima 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 stated, “Going into the tournament, I knew I was playing at a really high level, so I knew that I could make a deep run here.” He emphasized the hard work put in to reach this stage and eagerly anticipates the final match scheduled for Thursday against defending champion Ben Shelton.
Shelton, the fifth seed, swiftly defeated Learner Tien, another American player, with a score of 6-2, 6-3 in just 84 minutes. Nakashima’s dominance in rallies, especially on serve, was evident throughout the match as he won 68% of his first-service points and maintained an 85% first-serve accuracy.
Jodar, a 19-year-old seeded 20th, struggled against Nakashima’s aggressive gameplay, landing 59% of his first serves and winning only 51% of his second-serve points. Despite a commendable performance, Jodar’s frustration was visible during the match.
Reflecting on his strategy, Nakashima highlighted the importance of his serve and forehand in securing the victory. The defeat for Jodar marks the end of an impressive run as he aimed 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, enduring a challenging game with momentum swings. The victory sets up an all-American final between Nakashima and Shelton, promising an exciting showdown for tennis fans.
In the women’s event, Iga Swiatek advanced to the final after defeating Elina Svitolina in a hard-fought match. Swiatek’s victory sets up an anticipated final against either Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina. The final matches are set to take place on Thursday night, promising a thrilling conclusion to the National Bank Open tournament.