"I'm prepared for a war" - Ben Shelton sends word of caution to Alex de Minaur ahead of Canadian Open QF

Ben Shelton is set to face Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Canadian Open. The American has declared he’s ready for "a war," gearing up for what promises to be a fierce battle against the in-form Aussie in Toronto.

Shelton played a topsy-turvy match against the young Italian Flavio Cobolli in the fourth round on Sunday, August 3. He won the first set but lost the second and was trailing 3-5 in the decider before pulling off an impressive comeback to win 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1).

The 22-year-old has now won 100 tour-level matches and is only the ninth active American to achieve this feat. In his post-match press conference, he was asked about his next opponent, De Minaur, the Aussie who bagged the ATP 500 title in Washington last week.

"Yeah, he's a dawg. I'm ready for it. And for people who haven't heard that saying, that's a good thing (laughing). He's very fast. He's in a great rhythm, you saw what he did in DC. He's a great front runner, and you can never count him out when he's down," Ben Shelton said.

The World No. 7 is bracing himself for a tough battle in the Canadian Open quarterfinals, adding:

"So I'm prepared for a war. I'm really excited. It's our first matchup. We've had some practice, some competitive practice sets. He puts it on the line in practice as well, that's one of the things that I love about him. Yeah, I'm really excited."

The American noted that they’ve played intense practice sets in the past. He praised the Aussie’s work ethic, consistency, and recent form, and said he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing a top player deep in a tournament.

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A look at Ben Shelton & Alex de Minaur's form going into their Canadian Open 2025 QF

Ben Shelton at the ATP Masters 1000 National Bank Open - Source: Getty

Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur began their US Open swing in Washington last week. Shelton advanced solidly through the Citi Open, defeating compatriot Frances Tiafoe to reach the semifinals. There, he lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets.

De Minaur captured his 10th ATP Tour title in Washington, rallying past Davidovich Fokina in a dramatic final 5‑7, 6‑1, 7‑6(3), saving three championship points. The Australian rose into the top 10 with this win, showing strong form on hard courts.

Now in Toronto, Shelton and de Minaur will face off in the quarterfinals for the first time on tour. Both have played well leading up to this clash. Shelton cruised through early rounds before his D.C. stumble, and De Minaur arrived off the back of a title run.

Edited by Samya Majumdar