Shelton Stops Fonseca: Mérida The Surprise Of The Top Half

Ben Shelton beat Joao Fonseca 6-3, 7-6(3) in the round of 16 at the National Bank Open, converting the second of four match points and remaining the only top-10 player left in the draw. The defending champion handled the wind better than his opponent: 26 winners and 26 unforced errors against the Brazilian's 15 winners and 32 errors.

"It was tough today, not easy conditions, it all came down to grit. The tennis was not clean." Shelton said.

In the other three fourth-round matches in the same half, Daniel Mérida overwhelmed Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-1, Learner Tien got past Thiago Tirante 6-4, 6-4 on his fifth match point and Jakub Menšík knocked out Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 7-5.

The surprise is the Spaniard. Mérida is 21, finished 2025 outside the top 160 and had never won an ATP-level match on hard courts before this tournament. In Montreal he has knocked out Liam Draxl, 24th seed Ugo Humbert, Alex Michelsen and now Griekspoor, who had beaten top seed Alexander Zverev in the second round. It is his first Masters 1000 quarter-final, and the live rankings put him at No. 40: the top 50 for the first time.

Griekspoor came apart against him, with six double faults and four breaks conceded from eight chances, never once threatening the Spaniard's serve.

Menšík closed the night session with thirteen aces to one, 81% of points won behind his first serve and three break points converted out of four, landing the decisive break in the last game of both sets.

In the quarter-finals, the top half features Shelton against Menšík, the 13th seed, and Mérida against Tien, the 12th seed. Today, however, the top half matches will be played, with Jodar vs. Fils and Darderi vs. Nakashima.