Ben Shelton is the new champion of the Dallas Open, having won an all-American final against Taylor Fritz.
Shelton produced a fantastic performance to come from behind against his compatriot Fritz, winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
The Dallas Open winner miraculously saved three championship points en route to the ATP 500 title, his first trophy of the season.
World number nine Shelton is now a four-time champion on the ATP Tour, having just clinched his first indoor title.
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Ben Shelton praises ‘amazing’ Taylor Fritz after winning their Dallas final
Shelton battled past Fritz after one hour and 51 minutes, and was quick to praise his fellow American immediately after their battle.
“First and most importantly, I want to thank God,” Shelton said in his winner’s speech.
“I feel blessed, not only to have a great support system, the best team, an amazing family, but also just the opportunity to travel the world, be healthy, play in front of you guys, have experiences like this, there’s nothing like it.
“So I appreciate everybody for coming out. This is one of my favorite atmospheres I’ve ever played in.
“I want to congratulate Taylor. This was a crazy match to be a part of. I thought your level was amazing.
“What you’ve done this year, dealing with adversity, fighting through injuries, nags here and there, the competitor that you are, the work that your team does. You’re an inspiration to all.
“I think that every kid at home should watch how hard you compete, day in and day out when they’re not feeling 100% and I just want to congratulate you guys.”
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Taylor Fritz congratulates Ben Shelton after ‘crazy’ final at the Dallas Open
It was a classy speech from Shelton, but the runner-up also deserves praise for his kind words about the champion afterwards.
Fritz said in his brief speech: “Congrats to Ben. It was a crazy match, a fun match to be a part of, up until the end.
“Congrats to Ben and his team. He played great and in the end played the big points and important moments really good so congrats man.”
With the defeat, Fritz has fallen just short of an 11th ATP title, while Shelton now has one title in each of the last four seasons.
He boasts a superb 10-2 win-loss record for 2026, and is now 11-4 in deciding-set matches since the start of 2025.
Meanwhile, Fritz has an immediate chance at redemption as he takes on the Delray Beach Open this week, where he is the top seed.
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