1 Response to toronto25shelton_khachanov

1. Voo de Mar says:

   August 8, 2025 at 1:15 pm

   Points won by each set: | 42-42, 29-29, 36-31 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   38 % Shelton – 42 of 108
   16 % Khachanov – 17 of 102

   For the first time the Canadian Open with a 96-draw, a twelve-day event untypically finished on Thursday (the same day kicked off Cincinnati). The big boys (Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic) withdrew which is not surprising given they played semifinals of the last two majors, so probability of finding themselves in the last four at the US Open is high, thus they want to be fresh to meet those expectations. Jack Draper, who was sensationally good in the first four months of the year pulled out too, and it opened the door for unexpected finalist(s). Khachanov [16] fought off a match point on serve in his three-hour semifinal against Zverev, and advanced to the Masters 1K final for the first time in seven years. The quality of the final was rather poor until the Russian led 5:3, then Shelton began playing better from the back of the court, and the last sequence of the set was intriguing. He wasted three set points at 6:5 on return, in the tie-break he improved from 1:3 to 5:3, but Khachanov got the last four points playing the best tennis he can. There was 4:3* (30-all) for him in the 2nd set when Shelton managed to win three straight games, withstanding a triple break point at 5:4, and converting his set point after a spectacular rally when Khachanov fell down trying to play a backhand volley. In the decider Khachanov increased the speed of his serves (especially in the second set he’d been serving his first serve much below his average speed, believing in his superiority during baseline rallies) and neither player had a chance to break. No deuce in that set, but the deciding tie-break was a one-way traffic – only Shelton was serving big, at 5:2 he played perhaps the best forehand return this year, and converted his second match point forcing an error. The biggest success of his career so far, he celebrated rather calmly, hitting his forehead with his wrist. “It’s a surreal feeling,” Shelton said. “It’s been a long week, not an easy path to the final. My best tennis came out when it mattered most. I was clutch, I persevered, I was resilient. All the qualities I like to see in myself.”

   Shelton’s route to his 3rd title:
   2 Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-3
   3 Brandon Nakashima 6-7(8), 6-2, 7-6(5) ☆
   4 Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1)
   Q Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4
   S Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3
   W Karen Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3)

   Serve & volley: Shelton 3/5, Khachanov 0
   Deciding 3rd set tie-breaks: Shelton 8-7, Khachanov 12-12
   Average serve speeds: Shelton 202/172 kph, Khachanov 189/161 kph

   ☆ Shelton 3-3-4 points away from defeat in matches concluded in 3rd set tie-breaks;
   the toughest situation against Cobolli as he trailed *3:5 in the 3rd set

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