Ben Shelton beats Taylor Fritz to win Dallas Open

Meeting of world's highest-ranked American men ends in three-set thriller

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ben Shelton, the No. 2 seed and No. 9 player in the ATP rankings, came back from losing the first set to beat top-seeded Taylor Fritz, the world's No. 7 player, in three sets to win the Dallas Open title. Shelton saved three match points before finishing another rally to secure the 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory in the first meeting of the top seeds since the event moved to Dallas in 2022.

Why it matters

This matchup featured the two highest-ranked American men's tennis players, showcasing the depth of talent in U.S. men's tennis. Shelton's victory over the higher-ranked Fritz also continues his strong start to the 2023 season after reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals.

The details

Shelton improved to 4-0 in ATP finals with the victory. Fritz's dominant serving from his semifinal win over Marin Cilic carried over to the first set, but Shelton turned the match late in the second set by breaking Fritz's serve for a 5-3 lead, then did it again early in the third set. After Fritz broke back to make it 3-3 in the third, Shelton converted on his second break chance at 5-5 to serve for the match.

  • The Dallas Open event moved to Dallas in 2022.
  • Shelton reached the Australian Open quarterfinals last month.

The players

Ben Shelton

The No. 2 seed and No. 9 player in the ATP rankings who won the Dallas Open title in a three-set victory over the world's No. 7 player.

Taylor Fritz

The top-seeded player and world's No. 7 player who lost to Shelton in the three-set Dallas Open final.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

Shelton's victory over the higher-ranked Fritz continues his strong start to the 2023 season and demonstrates the rising talent in American men's tennis, with the top two U.S. players battling it out in the Dallas Open final.