Brandon Nakashima, who had never made it to an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal before, is now set to compete for the championship. The 28th-seeded American secured a place in the men’s singles final at the National Bank Open by defeating Rafael Jodar, a rising star and crowd favorite, with a 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Expressing his excitement, Nakashima shared, “Going into the tournament, I knew I was playing at a really high level, so I knew that I could make a deep run here.” He further added, “I’m super happy right now. Everything that I’ve done to get to this moment, all the hard work and everything, just so happy that it’s all paying off, and can’t wait for tomorrow.”
In the upcoming all-American final on Thursday, Nakashima will face defending champion Ben Shelton. Shelton, the fifth seed, swiftly defeated Learner Tien, another American, with a 6-2, 6-3 win in just 84 minutes on Wednesday.
Nakashima dominated the rallies in his match, especially on his serve. The 25-year-old won 68 percent of his first-service points and maintained a high 85 percent first serve success rate on center court at IGA Stadium. In contrast, Jodar, the 19-year-old 20th seed, struggled with his serves, landing only 59 percent of his first serves and winning just 51 percent of his second-serve points against Nakashima’s aggressive returns.
Reflecting on his performance, Nakashima credited his serve and forehand as key factors in his victory. He emphasized the importance of being aggressive, hitting his forehand with pace, and utilizing his serves effectively during the match.
Jodar, who had an impressive run leading up to the semifinals, fell short in his bid to become the youngest Canadian Open finalist since Rafael Nadal in 2005. Nakashima acknowledged Jodar’s talent and rapid rise in the ATP rankings, describing him as the next up-and-coming player generating excitement in the tennis world.
The intense match ended with Nakashima serving for the win at 5-4 in the second set, amidst a series of long rallies and momentum swings. Despite Jodar’s efforts and the crowd’s enthusiastic support, Nakashima managed to close out the match after several tense moments.
In the women’s event, Iga Swiatek secured a spot in the final after defeating Elina Svitolina in a hard-fought match. Swiatek’s victory sets up a final showdown with the winner of the semifinal between Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina.
The National Bank Open continues to showcase high-caliber tennis, with all four semifinalists ranked in the top 10. The competition promises exciting matchups and intense battles as the tournament progresses.