Ben Shelton was raised under the sun-drenched skies of Atlanta and Gainesville. He underwent sauna and hot tub techniques to gauge temperatures in North America. But his Sunday’s match against Flavio Cabolli raised the ceiling. In Toronto’s rather warm but breezy weather, the players went head-to-head to prove who was better. First, Shelton, who made a comeback win against his Italian opponent-friend in Acapulco’s win, took the 4-6 series opening lead. But Cobolli didn’t give up.

The Italian nailed down a 6-4 second-game win to neutralize the American’s explosive game and upgraded serves that were already in the top at the event. The third set, too, began with Cobolli keeping up with the pace. In the deciding set, he was already up 3-5. And just when it looked like Ben Shelton could not achieve his milestone 100th tour-level win at the National Bank Open, things took a turn.

The American, who hadn’t seen a break point since the opener, roared back. His ruthless precision clinched a dramatic 7-6(1) victory in a fiery finish. And the final move, that was a quick one for Cobolli to even act in the fiery showdown. The two were drenched in sweat as Shelton levelled their H2H to 2-2 at the ATP 1000s. But the real heat came as the two stood close, and everyone could only see a visibly animated debate.

Right after the match, tensions flared as Ben Shelton and Flavio Cobolli shared a prolonged exchange at the net. The Italian seemed frustrated. Though the exact trigger remains unclear, fans picked up Cobolli’s explanation: “You deserved this match, but it’s not always with you.” The two walked off the court, still holding hands, showing the crowd that the discussion ended nicely and they’re still friends.

Even after shaking hands with the umpire, the two were seen continuing their talks, which seemed to repeatedly catch sparks. Shelton finally asked him if they were friends, clearly not wanting to raise the issue, and he got a positive response.

The Italian then left, explaining, “I served for the three-hour match, you can understand, if I do something with you. But it’s not always with you. You understand me? Because I didn’t want to fight with you. You deserved to win this match, I know. But you can understand if I do something after three hours of match.”

Despite the closure, the conversation left a bitter aftertaste for everyone involved, turning Shelton’s triumph into a headline-grabbing clash full of fire and mystery.

Not only did the match deliver high-octane tennis, but the heat didn’t cool down even after the final point. This edgy conclusion only fueled the intensity of what was already their fourth showdown on the Tour. Later, when asked about the incident, Shelton calmly addressed the moment. “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,” the American shared, putting the speculation to rest with his trademark composure.

As the dust settled, the spotlight returned to the tennis itself. Shelton, who had earlier shown promise on grass but fell short to Sinner in a Wimbledon quarterfinal, reflected on his Canadian Open victory, gritty, emotional, and charged on every level, both on and off the court.

Ben Shelton opens up after the tough win against Cobolli

Now standing tall at 100-69 in his tour-level career, Ben Shelton has joined elite company. He becomes the eighth man born in the 21st century and the ninth active American to notch 100 wins on the ATP Tour. But there’s no time to soak it in; his eyes are locked on the next milestone: his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.

This marks Shelton’s fourth quarterfinal at the Masters level and his third straight on tour, following a Wimbledon last-eight run and a semifinal surge last week in Washington, D.C. With a 16-7 record on hard courts this season, including his breakout semifinal at the Australian Open, Shelton is starting to build serious momentum. But his last win didn’t come easy, and the young American knows it.

“Really difficult match. I was down and out, being a break down in the third, the way that he was playing,” Shelton admitted after surviving Flavio Cobolli in a fiery three-set battle. “I gave myself a second chance and I did a good job with it, kind of running from there. A really difficult opponent for me, someone who’s gotten me in three sets after I’ve won the first set twice.”

Shelton also acknowledged his struggles mid-match. “I thought I did a really good job rallying and finding a way to put returns in the court late in the match. I was struggling with my two biggest weapons, the serve and the first-ball forehand. Coming through in the end I think speaks a lot about my mental toughness and my ability to be scrappy in those moments, more so than my actual play.”

Now, with Alex de Minaur, fresh off a title run in D.C., standing across the net, can Shelton rise again and crash into his first Masters semifinal?