With most of the top players missing out on the Canadian Open this year, the final places were really up for grabs and we all expected some surprises. Well, the last two players are now No. 4 seed Ben Shelton and No. 11 seed Karen Khachanov that face-off in an interesting 2025 ATP Toronto final.
This will be the fifth year in a row where we’ll see a new men’s champion at the Canadian Open. Let’s look closer at the stats, form and our predictions for Shelton vs Khachanov.
Player Form
Ben Shelton (World No. 7) is in career-best form, reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final with a 6-4, 6-3 upset over fellow American Taylor Fritz in the semifinals, firing 22 unreturned serves. He also beat Adrian Mannarino, Brandon Nakashima, Flavio Cobolli and Alex de Minaur, with a 26-1 record when winning the first set. His 26-15 season record includes a Washington semifinal, and his 15-4 hard-court mark shows he really found form at the hard-courts on home soil. What is Ben Shelton’s racquet?
Karen Khachanov (World No. 16) is back in a Masters 1000 final, his second after winning in Paris 2018. He saved a match point to stun No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) in a 2-hour, 53-minute semifinal, following wins over Juan Pablo Ficovich, Emilio Nava, Casper Ruud and Alex Michelsen. His 26-14 record in 2025, including a 10-7 hard-court mark, reflects a resurgence despite 34 unforced errors against Zverev. More on Khachanov’s current racquet.
Head-to-Head
Shelton leads 1-0, cruising past Khachanov 6-3, 7-5 at the 2025 Indian Wells Open on hard courts. Shelton’s aggressive serving and baseline play overwhelmed Khachanov, who struggled defensively, will we see the same setting again?
Betting Odds and Predictions
- Moneyline: Shelton -167 (1.60) | Khachanov +140 (2.40)
- Game Spread: Shelton -2.5 (+100/2.00) | Khachanov +2.5 (-137.5/1.74)
- Total Games: Over 24.5 (-118/1.85) | Under 24.5 (-112/1.89)
Prediction and Best Bets
Shelton is in fantastic form and the world no 7’s serving, improved baseline game and added consistency, make him the favorite among betting sites. And we tend to agree this time. These are two heavy hitters on the tour but I think the Russian will be mostly on the defense here as Shelton has added a lot of variation to his game. Overall this should be a decent matchup for him, once again.
Prediction: Shelton to win the trophy at the 2025 Canadian Open and his first Masters 1000 title.
Best Bet: Shelton -2.5 games at around 2 times the money in odds.
