Brandon Nakashima, a 28th-seeded American, made his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal appearance this week and has now advanced to the finals of the National Bank Open men’s singles. He secured a 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Rafael Jodar in the semifinals. Nakashima expressed his excitement about his performance, noting his high level of play coming into the tournament. He will face defending champion Ben Shelton in an all-American final on Thursday.
Nakashima dominated the rallies in his match, especially on serve, winning 68% of his first-service points. The 19-year-old Jodar, seeded 20th, struggled against Nakashima’s aggressive returns, managing to land only 59% of his first serves and winning 51% of his second-serve points. Despite a strong performance, Jodar’s frustrations were evident during the match.
Nakashima credited his serve and forehand for his success, emphasizing the importance of being aggressive and hitting his shots with pace. Jodar’s loss marks the end of an impressive run for the young player, who has been rapidly climbing the ATP rankings in his debut season on tour.
In a thrilling conclusion to the match, Nakashima fought off multiple break points as Jodar tried to stay alive, eventually securing the win. Shelton, on the other hand, breezed past Learner Tien to set up a competitive final against Nakashima.
In the women’s event, Iga Swiatek secured her spot in the WTA Tour final after defeating Elina Svitolina in a hard-fought match. Swiatek’s victory sets up a final against the winner of the semifinal between Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the National Bank Open with top-ranked players showcasing their skills.