Ben Shelton wins 3 championship points with victory over Taylor Fritz in Dallas final ATP Tour event

dallas

Shelton defeated Fritz in the Dallas final, earning 3 championship points

The 23-year-old won his fourth ATP Tour title and first indoor title

February 15, 2026

Ben Shelton brought the thunder when it mattered most at Sunday’s Nexo Dallas Open, saving three championship points to defeat Tyler Fritz to claim his first title of the season.

The 23-year-old made a comeback to win his second ATP 500 trophy with an explosive 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory and save all three championship points in a tense Game 10 decider. After that crucial hold, Shelton dropped just three points to win his fourth ATP Tour title and first indoor title.

Big Ben strike in Dallas🤠@benshelton After saving three match points, he defeated compatriot Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 and defended the championship at home! @NexoDallasOpen | #DALOpen pic.twitter.com/rVSowg1Zj7

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 15, 2026

“It feels so good. I thank God because I needed something super natural to finally win this match despite all the holes I went through,” said Shelton, who has fought four deciding sets in Dallas. “I’m just grateful to be here playing five games with these crowds. The energy is amazing.

“I had to fight until the end. Fritz fought really well and I struggled with what he was throwing at me. I kept trying to be a competitor and in the end I came out victorious. I think it’s a testament to the hard work that I and my team put in.”

In a tight showdown between the top two seeds, Shelton showed great composure under pressure until the final shot. He looked down after giving away a break lead in the deciding set but played some brave tennis in the final embers to hand Fritz a painful defeat.

With the victory, which lasted 1 hour and 51 minutes, Shelton improved to 2-1 in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Fritz. According to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index, Shelton has an 11-4 record in deciding sets since the start of 2025, including nine games where she won the first set.

“Once I got a set, I felt really confident,” Shelton explained. “Once I’m able to grit my teeth and feel like I’m getting into some kind of rhythm, I start to relax and find my level. I think I’m in good shape as well – my fitness level is good – and that might play a role.”

Despite losing in the final, Fritz can look back on another positive performance in his 20th Tour-level final. The top-ranked American player currently heads into the ATP 250 event in Delray Beach as the top seed.

“It was a crazy race, a fun race – until the end,” Fritz said with a wry smile during the award ceremony. “Congratulations to Ben and his team. He played great and at the end of the day, he played really well down the stretch and in the big moments.”