Fritz and Shelton Set for All-American Semifinal at National Bank Open

TORONTO, Canada — Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton both advanced to the semifinals of the National Bank Open on Tuesday, marking the first all-American semifinal in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in 15 years. The second-seeded Fritz defeated sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (4), showcasing an impressive performance with 20 aces, including the match’s final point.

“It was clean,” Fritz said after the match. “I’m happy with everything.” The win allows him to face Shelton, the fourth seed, who triumphed over Australia’s No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 in a quarterfinal match. This semifinal clash will be the first between two Americans since 2010.

Fritz has previously beaten Shelton in a 2023 meeting at Indian Wells. “He’s a big-match player,” Shelton said of Fritz. “He’s been carrying the flag for the United States in the big tournaments as of late. It’s a match that I’m really excited about.”

Shelton, who is ranked seventh, is looking to build on his strong form demonstrated at the tournament. “I think that a lot of guys see me as just a server, but I also have a complete game,” he reflected after his victory.

The semifinal matches will take place on Wednesday, with top-seeded Alexander Zverev set to face Karen Khachanov before Fritz and Shelton meet immediately after. “Competing on back-to-back days allows players to get into a better rhythm,” Shelton noted.

This week’s tournament in Toronto is part of the ATP circuit, with the final scheduled for Thursday. Both Fritz and Shelton are seeking their first Masters 1000 titles, and fans are eager for an exciting showdown.