Shelton conquers Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 to reach quarters at the National Bank Open

Ben Shelton from Atlanta, Georgia, recently attained a career-high rank of #7. The twenty-two-year-old southpaw with two career titles is still searching for his first this season. With a fondness for hardcourts during the US summer swing, Shelton is on a mission. Having reached the penultimate round in DC, (l. Davidovich Fokina), he’s determined to make his first final at the Masters 1000 level.

A formidable opponent stood in his way in the round of 16. Last week, Flavio Cobolli achieved a career-high ranking of #17. The twenty-three-year-old Italian has been on a tear this season, claiming two titles on the dirt (Hamburg & Bucharest) and reaching the quarters at Wimbledon, where he pushed 7-time champion, Novak Djokovic, to four. While Cobolli led the head-to-head 2-1, Shelton won their last earlier this season on hardcourt in two tiebreaks at the Mexican Open.

Shelton won the toss and elected to serve. With an ace out wide and a colossal inside-out forehand, he held to 30 while Cobolli missed  6/8 first serves, faced a break point yet held to level.

The American missed 4/6 first serves but with a forehand volley winner, held to 30 for 2-1. The Italian missed 4/6 first serves, including a double fault, faced double break point, and dropped serve when Shelton nailed a forehand drop volley winner.

Shelton struggled to consolidate the break as Cobolli struck a slew of cross-court backhand passes and earned a break point. The American maintained his composure with his second ace and survived four deuces to hold for 4-1. Cobolli struck his first ace and, with a backhand down the line pass, held to 30 for 2-4 while Shelton faced two deuce points but with three additional aces escaped for 5-2.

The world #17 serving to stay in the set with new balls donated three unforced errors and faced deuce, but with his second ace held for 3-5. Shelton serving for the set gifted two unforced errors, faced double break point, and dumped serve when the Italian crushed an inside-out forehand pass.

After battling to break, Cobolli collapsed as he attempted to level the set at five. He missed 5/6 first serves, faced triple set point, and conceded it with a wild and wide inside-out forehand.

Shelton served first in the second and though he faced a double break point, held with three consecutive monster serves, including his sixth ace, while Cobolli made 3/6 first serves and held to 30 to level.

The 2-time 2025 champion continued to extract errors from the world #7. Shelton missed 3/6 first serves and dumped serve following three groundstroke errors. The Italian hit two outstanding winners and held to 15 to consolidate the break for 3-1, while Shelton struck his seventh ace to hold at love for 2-3.

Cobolli hit two winners, including his third ace, and held easily to 15 for 4-2 while Shelton, serving with new balls, held to love for 3-4 with his ninth ace. The Italian opened the 8th with a fantastic cross-court forehand and held to 15 for 5-3 while the American serving to stay in the set, gifted his second double fault, yet held to 30 for 4-5. Cobolli serving to force the decider, opened and closed with an ace to seal the set 6-4.

Shelton served first in the third and immediately faced pressure following two double faults, three deuce, and a break point, yet got on the board with his tenth ace.

Cobolli had a much easier time in his opening service game, pummeling two spectacular winners to hold at love to level. Shelton struggled once again, gifting three consecutive forehand errors and faced double break point. With grit, resolve, and spot serving, he persevered and for 2-1.

The Italian hit two winners, including his fifth ace on game point to level at while the American committed three unforced errors, faced triple break point, and dropped serve. Cobolli struck two consecutive winners, including his sixth ace, and consolidated the break at love while Shelton hit two winners, including his eleventh ace, and held at love for 3-4.

Cobolli opened the ninth with two consecutive extraordinary forehand winners and held easily to 15 for 5-3, while Shelton, serving to stay in the match, made 3/5 first serves and held to 15 for 4-5.

Cobolli capitulated when serving for the match. The Italian missed 5/6 first serves, including his second double fault and dumped serve with a mishit forehand. Shelton seized the moment and the momentum, consolidating the break at love to lead 6-5.

The Italian now served to force the tiebreak, but it was one-way traffic for the American. Shelton opened with an incredible inside-out forehand and conceded just one point in securing the breaker, set, and match.

It was an enthralling, high-octane match from two of the game's most dynamic and athletic players. In the end, it was anyone’s match. With so many ebbs and flows and swings in momentum, it appeared the Italian would prevail, but he fumbled and Shelton pounced. Only three points separated the combatants. Though both struck more unforced errors than winners, they each took turns dictating and taking risks.

While his first serve percentage was adequate at 62%, he won 71% of first and 49% of second serve points. He saved 7/10 break points while converting 3/9. He won more baseline points (53/97) and excelled when moving forward, winning 13/19.

Thirty of Shelton’s forty-six errors were off the forehand. He will need to buttress that side when he battles world #8, Alex de Minaur, for the first time, with a spot in the semis in Toronto on the line.