Ben Shelton powers past Jakub Mensik into Canadian Open semi-final

MONTREAL: Ben Shelton delivered one of the finest performances of his career, sweeping past Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-1 to reach the Canadian Open semi-finals and strengthen his preparations for the US Open here at IGA Stadium on Tuesday.

The defending champion was dominant throughout the 72-minute contest, firing powerful serves and producing aggressive groundstrokes while committing just three unforced errors.

Shelton broke Mensik early in the second set with a backhand winner down the line to take a 2-0 lead, celebrating with a thunderous roar. He completed the victory when the Czech sent a backhand long on match point.

Shelton said the win has boosted his confidence and helped him feel more comfortable and aggressive on hard courts.

"It was a great performance, super happy with that one," Shelton said.

"For me it's about building confidence. Every match I play, every practice that I have, I'm feeling better and better on these hard courts. I'm feeling more in control of the ball which allows me to go for my shots."

Shelton will face fellow American Learner Tien in the semi-finals after the 18-year-old defeated Spain's Daniel Merida 6-3, 6-2.

Earlier, Brandon Nakashima and 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar also reached their first Masters 1000 semi-finals. Nakashima beat Italy's Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-3, while Jodar overcame France's Arthur Fils 7-6(5), 6-3.

Nakashima fired 11 aces and will meet Jodar, whose victory lifted him to at least 11th in the world rankings.

The tournament has been missing several leading players, including world number one Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, while rain also delayed the quarter-finals by a day.