Shelton Comeback and Defeats Cobolli in Toronto; Showdown at the Net

Ben Shelton Wins Against Cobolli in an Epic Duel in Toronto

American tennis player Ben Shelton, seeded number four, staged a spectacular comeback to defeat Italian Flavio Cobolli, seeded number 13, with scores of 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (1) at the National Bank Open. Shelton, demonstrating great mental fortitude, overcame a 4-2 deficit in the final set to secure his place in the quarterfinals of the tournament, which is played on hard court and culminates on Thursday. After the match, television cameras captured a tense exchange of words between Shelton and Cobolli at the net.

It was a really tough match. I was against the ropes, losing a break in the third set, because of the way he was playing. I gave myself a second chance and did a good job, coming back from there. A very difficult opponent for me, someone who has taken me to three sets after I’ve won the first set twice.

Ben Shelton

In the quarterfinals, Shelton will face Australian Alex De Miñaur, the ninth seed, who defeated his American compatriot Frances Tiafoe with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Shelton, 22, has two victories on the ATP circuit, achieved in Tokyo on hard court in 2023 and in Houston on clay last year. Sunday’s victory represented his 100th win in 169 circuit matches.

I think I did a very good job in the rallies and finding a way to get the returns on the court at the end of the match. I was having problems with my two biggest weapons, the serve and the forehand on the first ball. Coming through at the end, I think, says a lot about my mental strength and my ability to be a fighter in those moments, more than my actual game.

Ben Shelton

For his part, Cobolli, 23 years old, won titles on clay in Hamburg and Bucharest this year, his only titles on the circuit. In another match, Russian Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, was leading Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina with a score of 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 3-0 when Davidovich Fokina retired due to exhaustion. Rublev will face American Taylor Fritz, the second seed, who defeated Czech Jiri Lehecka with scores of 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5) in the last match of the day.