FRISCO, Texas – Ben Shelton secured his fourth career ATP title Sunday, overcoming top seed Taylor Fritz in a thrilling three-set match at the 2026 Nexo Dallas Open, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. The victory, played before a sold-out crowd at the Ford Center at The Star, marked Shelton’s eighth career win against a top-10 opponent.
Fritz, ranked No. 7, initially dominated, taking the first set 6-3 with strong serving. However, Shelton, currently No. 9 in the world, battled back, breaking Fritz’s serve in the second set and ultimately leveling the match. The decisive third set remained tightly contested until Shelton surged ahead late, completing the comeback.
The final was characterized by a relentless pace and high-quality shot-making from both players, according to post-match commentary. Shelton demonstrated resilience, navigating crucial break points in the second set at 1-1 and 3-3. His aggressive second serve proved to be a key statistical differentiator in a match where both players had a high percentage of unreturned serves.
“I thought Taylor’s level was amazing,” Shelton said after the match. “What you’ve done this year dealing with adversity, fighting through injuries and nags here and there. You’re an inspiration to all I think that every kid at home should watch how hard you compete day in and out when you’re not feeling 100%.”
Fritz acknowledged the high level of play throughout the match. “It was a fun match. I felt like you know, I was having some points where I was having some really good shots. He was having some points where he was having some crazy shots. I thought we were just kind of going back and forth. It was just a high level of tennis from both of us,” he stated.
Spectators leaving the Ford Center described the match as “excellent” and praised the intensity of the competition. Some noted the seamless transition between the players’ styles, with neither appearing fatigued throughout the contest.
Shelton’s victory comes after he defeated Denis Shapovalov in the semi-finals, setting up the highly anticipated clash with Fritz. The tournament also saw Reilly Opelka involved in a dispute with umpire Greg Allensworth earlier in the week, though the incident did not appear to impact the final match.
Following the match, Fritz posted on social media, thanking Dallas and acknowledging his level of play was improving with each match. No immediate plans for either player’s next tournament were announced.
