Taylor Fritz Denies Feeling Heartbroken After Dallas Open Final Loss to Ben Shelton

The world No. 8 player says he has no regrets despite failing to convert three match points against the 23-year-old Shelton.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Taylor Fritz reflected on his loss to Ben Shelton in the final of the 2026 Dallas Open, where he failed to convert three championship points. Despite the defeat, Fritz said he doesn't feel as heartbroken as expected, as he felt he didn't do much differently. Fritz praised Shelton's strong defensive play that enabled him to wrest control of the match.

Why it matters

The Dallas Open final was a closely contested match between two rising stars on the ATP Tour. Fritz's loss, despite having three match points, highlights the fine margins at the top level of professional tennis and the mental fortitude required to close out tight matches.

The details

Fritz won the first set 6-3 but lost his serve rhythm in the middle of the second set, allowing Shelton to level the match. In the deciding set, Fritz had three match points but was unable to convert them, with Shelton coming from behind to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Fritz's first serve percentage was down to 67%, while Shelton's was 71%. Shelton also won three of his five break points, while Fritz could only manage to convert two of his seven opportunities.

  • The Dallas Open final was played on Sunday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Taylor Fritz

A 28-year-old American professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 8.

Ben Shelton

A 23-year-old American professional tennis player who won the Dallas Open final against Fritz, his fourth ATP Tour title.

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What they’re saying

“I don't think I would do much differently. This isn't like as heartbreaking of a loss, if you told me I lost after having three match points, I would expect to be a lot more upset. It hurts but I feel like it doesn't hurt as much as I would expect it to, because I don't really have a lot of regrets with how I play those match points.”

— Taylor Fritz (profootballnetwork.com)

“I just lost my serve rhythm mid-way through the second set and just never really got it back, wasn't getting the free points that I needed. And then he was just playing really good defense, like just chipping and grinding, not giving me pace to work with, getting a ton of balls in play and it just wasn't easy to finish points even though I felt like the first two points in that game, I played well.”

— Taylor Fritz (profootballnetwork.com)

What’s next

Fritz will now turn his focus to the Delray Beach Open and is scheduled to begin his campaign in Florida on Wednesday.

The takeaway

This match highlights the fine margins at the top level of professional tennis, where even a player as accomplished as Taylor Fritz can fall short despite having multiple match points. However, Fritz's mature response to the defeat, focusing on the positives and lack of regrets, demonstrates the mental fortitude required to compete at the highest level.