Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton set for all-American Dallas Open final
Top-seeded Taylor Fritz and No. 2 Ben Shelton moved into the Dallas Open championship match after wins on Saturday night (ET), guaranteeing a final between the highest-ranked American men on the ATP Tour. Fritz closed out a straight-sets victory, while Shelton mounted a comeback to oust the defending champion and book a Sunday showdown in Dallas.
Fritz’s serve carries him through tight two-setter
Fritz leaned on an overpowering serve to dismiss a veteran opponent in two tiebreak sets, finishing 7-6, 7-6. The 28-year-old produced 22 aces and did not commit a double fault, stifling break-point opportunities and keeping pressure on his rival throughout. He converted three match points in the second-set breaker to seal his place in the final and improve his record in head-to-head meetings with the opponent.
Fritz’s consistency on serve was decisive: he avoided facing any break points, and his ability to produce clutch aces at key moments — including closing the first-set tiebreak with an ace — prevented extended rallies that might have favored his opponent’s experience. The result extends Fritz’s strong run of form this season and sets up a marquee contrast with a younger, power-hitting American rival.
Shelton battles back, punctuates rally with forehand winners
Ben Shelton rebounded from an opening-set loss to defeat the defending champion 4-6, 6-4, 7-6. The 23-year-old again showed the resilience that carried him to the Australian Open quarterfinals earlier this year, coming from a set down for the second consecutive match in Dallas. Shelton faced three break points at 1-1 in the second set before producing a scintillating crosscourt forehand winner that shifted momentum.
From that point he built pressure on serve, later earning two set points on his opponent’s service game and converting the second to level the match. The deciding set came down to a tiebreaker, where Shelton won three of the final four points and sealed the victory with another forehand winner. Shelton’s forehand was the decisive shot throughout the evening; his ability to hit winners under pressure carried him past the defending champion and into the title match.
High stakes for an all-American final in Dallas
The matchup between Fritz and Shelton will pit the tour veteran — a 10-time ATP titlist — against a rising star who already owns three tour titles. Fritz is ranked No. 7 in the world, two spots ahead of Shelton, who sits at No. 9. The pair have split their previous meetings, setting up an intriguing rubber between contrasting styles: Fritz’s polished serve-and-forehand game versus Shelton’s raw power and athleticism.
Both players arrive in the final with momentum: Fritz with a clinical serving performance that minimized risk and maximized free points; Shelton with a streak of late-match comebacks, including a gritty quarterfinal win over Miomir Kecmanovic earlier in the week. For fans and the players, the final represents not only a chance at a title but also an opportunity to settle their young rivalry on indoor hard courts.
The championship match is scheduled for Sunday (ET), and it will decide which of America’s top-ranked men lifts the Dallas Open trophy and adds another chapter to a growing domestic rivalry on tour.
