One of the most anticipated matches of ATP Montreal takes place on Sunday. The World No. 10 Ben Shelton will take on the rising star Joao Fonseca with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
Here is my full preview of the Round of 16 match between Shelton and Fonseca at the 2026 Canadian Open.
Ben Shelton vs. Joao Fonseca Preview, Prediction
Ben Shelton Preview
This is a big next few weeks for Ben Shelton. Despite remaining ranked in the top 10 in the world, it has been a relatively disappointing season for Ben Shelton. After making a solid quarterfinal run at the Australian Open, he was knocked out of Roland-Garros in the second round and Wimbledon in the first round. He has won three titles this season, the most of any of his career. However, he has underperformed on the biggest stages. Not only has he struggled at the last two majors, but he has yet to make it past the third round at any Masters 1000 event this year.
Shelton is the defending champion here in Montreal. He won his first career ATP 1000 title here in Canada last year. If he can win this match and continue his nice run here in Montreal, and then carry that momentum into Cincinnati and New York, Shelton can salvage his season. However, if he can’t get on a hot streak over the next few weeks, this will certainly feel like a lost season for Shelton.
Joao Fonseca Preview
Joao Fonseca is a player on the rise. In just his second professional season, he already seems like a threat at every tournament. He has yet to put it all together to go on a deep run at a major, but his upset over Novak Djokovic in the third round at Roland-Garros showed how great he is capable of being if he pieces it all together. While there is not nearly as much pressure on Fonseca at 19 years old as there is on Ben Shelton, this is also a big few weeks for the Brazilian.
Once upon a time, Fonseca won the 2023 Junior US Open and also won the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals. He has thrived at some of these massive venues in the past, just against a lower level of competition. Over the next couple of months, he has the chance to prove he is ready to compete at these venues against the best players in the world. The first big test comes here against the defending Canadian Open champion.
Ben Shelton vs. Joao Fonseca Picks, Best Bets
My best bet for this match is for Joao Fonseca to get the win. While he was clinical in his first two matches of this tournament so far, it has been hard to trust Ben Shelton when the competition steps up this season. At the bigger events, he has flopped at every turn in 2026. Meanwhile, Fonseca has shown real fight and spirit as an underdog against some top players. It seems like Shelton is still trying to find something in his game, while Fonseca is building to something bigger. I’ll back the young Brazilian to pull off the upset against the defending champion and move on to the quarterfinals.
