Ben Shelton is now a four-time champion on the ATP Tour after winning the title at the Dallas Open in Texas.
Shelton defeated Taylor Fritz in a thrilling final, emerging victorious 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 after one hour and 51 minutes of high-quality tennis.
An American champion was likely given the heavy presence of home players in the field, with top two seeds Fritz and Shelton going all the way to the final.
And it was the latter who emerged victorious, having previously knocked out Gabriel Diallo, Adrian Mannarino, Miomir Kecmanovic and Denis Shapovalov.
With the ATP 500 success, Shelton is now the first American since Andy Roddick to win more than two titles above ATP 250 level.
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Ben Shelton focused on improving after matching Andy Roddick record
Shelton was told of that remarkable statistic after the match, to which he responded: “For me it’s a steady work in progress.
“I want to continue to improve my game and become more well-rounded.
“There’s areas of improvements even this week that I can point out, places that I got myself into a hole that I can do a much better job of, certain shots that can become much better.
“I can become a more complete player and that’s kind of the focus that I have, that I have had, and that I need to continue to have to get to the top of the game.
“All my energy is going into that and that’s what I’m focused on.”
Now long retired, Roddick reached number one in the world rankings and won 32 titles during his fantastic career.
Hugely significantly, he remains the last American man to win a Grand Slam, lifting the US Open trophy back in 2003.
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What ATP titles has Ben Shelton won after Dallas success?
As well as a first title of the 2026 season, Shelton’s Dallas Open success represents the first indoor title of his career.
He has previously lifted trophies in Tokyo, Houston and Canada, with all three titles coming on outdoor courts.
| Year | Titles | Tournament |
| 2026 | 1 | Dallas (Indoor/Hard) |
| 2025 | 1 | ATP Masters 1000 Canada (Outdoor/Hard) |
| 2024 | 1 | Houston (Outdoor/Clay) |
| 2023 | 1 | Tokyo (Outdoor/Hard) |
Such success is important for American men’s tennis, but it remains without a major champion since Roddick, which is both a real shock and a massive disappointment.
Shelton is among the current crop of players looking to end that lengthy drought, alongside the likes of Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe and more recently Learner Tien.
But Grand Slam glory for such players is proving hugely difficult right now, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner playing a central role in their shortcomings.
The European duo, who have taken over effortlessly from Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, have combined to win each of the last nine Grand Slam titles.
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