The 2025 Canadian Open in Toronto delivered a spectacle of high-octane tennis and unexpected drama as American star Ben Shelton battled Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a gripping fourth-round match on August 3. The fourth-seeded Shelton, known for his explosive serve and unrelenting energy, rallied from a 3-5 deficit in the third set to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1) victory, marking his 100th tour-level win. However, the match’s intensity spilled over into a heated post-match exchange at the net, igniting debates among fans and adding a layer of intrigue to an already electrifying ATP Masters 1000 event.
Shelton, the 22-year-old world No. 7, entered the match as the favorite, riding a wave of strong performances, including a semifinal run at the Australian Open and a recent title in Washington, D.C. His powerful game, built around a serve that clocked speeds up to 145 mph and a punishing forehand, was on full display. Against Cobolli, ranked No. 28 and seeded 13th, Shelton fired 12 aces and won 71% of his first-serve points, showcasing his dominance on hard courts, where he boasts a 64% career win rate. Cobolli, a clay-court specialist with titles in Bucharest and Hamburg in 2025, pushed Shelton to the brink, leveraging his agility and baseline consistency to level the match after dropping the first set.
The match was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Shelton struck first, breaking Cobolli’s serve in the fourth game to claim the opening set 6-4. Cobolli, undeterred, fought back in the second, capitalizing on Shelton’s 90 unforced errors across the match to win 6-4. In the decisive third set, Cobolli surged to a 5-3 lead, serving for the match at 5-4. But Shelton’s resilience shone through as he broke back, forcing a tiebreak. “I was down and out, being a break down in the third, the way that he was playing,” Shelton admitted post-match. “I gave myself a second chance and I did a good job with it, kind of running from there.” In the tiebreak, Shelton’s composure was unyielding, as he secured two early mini-breaks and sealed the victory with a booming serve, finishing 7-1.
The drama escalated during the tiebreak when Cobolli made a gesture—described as a motion near his head—after Shelton’s forehand winner on the first point. Shelton interpreted it as a taunt, later mimicking the gesture at the net and asking, “You went like this,” sparking a tense exchange. Cobolli, visibly frustrated, responded, “It’s not with you. You deserve it, this match, but it’s not always with you,” suggesting his gesture was an expression of personal frustration, not directed at Shelton. The conversation continued beyond the initial handshake, with Cobolli approaching Shelton again before leaving the court, gesturing animatedly to clarify his intent. Language barriers may have complicated the exchange, as Cobolli struggled to express himself in English after the grueling three-hour battle.
Shelton, maintaining his composure, addressed the incident with maturity. “He just made a gesture in the tiebreaker and I asked him about it. He said it wasn’t towards me so we’re cool,” he told reporters, emphasizing that the matter was resolved privately in the locker room. “There’s no story, we’re good, that’s it,” he added, shutting down further questions. Former pro Rennae Stubbs offered insight, noting that Cobolli’s gesture, implying Shelton’s shot was “lucky,” was a common tennis expression but had “poked the bear,” fueling Shelton’s fiery tiebreak performance. “They’re friends & Ben & Flavio should have taken that conversation off the court, but in the heat of the moment after 3 hrs & it being such a good match I can understand,” Stubbs remarked, urging fans to move on.
The match leveled their head-to-head at 2-2, with Shelton’s win echoing his earlier 7-6(4), 7-6(4) victory over Cobolli in Acapulco in February 2025. Despite Cobolli’s 2-1 lead in their prior encounters, Shelton’s hard-court prowess—evidenced by his 14-6 record on the surface this year—gave him the edge. Cobolli, who called for the physio twice for leg massages during the match, showed resilience but couldn’t overcome Shelton’s late surge. The Italian’s 76% first-serve point win rate and three breaks of serve kept him in contention, but Shelton’s 17 service winners and tiebreak dominance proved decisive.
Shelton now advances to face Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, eyeing his first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal. The victory positions him to potentially surpass Novak Djokovic for World No. 6 with a title run. Meanwhile, the post-match drama has sparked discussions about sportsmanship and the intensity of high-stakes tennis, with some fans suggesting a budding rivalry. As Shelton prepares for his next challenge, his ability to channel competitive fire while maintaining professionalism underscores his growing stature in the sport.
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