FRISCO, Texas — Ben Shelton saved three match points and defeated top-seeded Taylor Fritz in three sets at the Dallas Open on Sunday in a showdown between the world’s top-ranked American men.
The No. 2 seed and ATP No. 9 player, who has lost the first set in each of his past three rounds, defeated Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 this time in the first meeting between the top seeds since the event moved to Dallas in 2022.
Shelton improved his record to 4-0 in the ATP finals and beat world No. 7 Fritz after the pair split their previous two matches. The 23-year-old won the title after losing in straight sets to Jannik Sinner after reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last month.
After saving three match points, the score was tied to 5-5 in the third set. Shelton got three chances to kill Fritz in the service game. Fritz saved the first two, but the ten-time ATP champion could not match his opponent by saving the third.
“It was a crazy game,” Shelton said. “I think this level is amazing.”
Fritz’s dominant serving in his semifinal victory over Marin Cilic – the 28-year-old didn’t even face a break point as he won two tiebreaks in straight sets – carried over into the first set of the final. Fritz won 12 of the first 13 service points and broke Shelton’s serve on the left-handed Shelton’s first serve.
Shelton broke Fritz’s serve late in the second set to lead 5-3, and broke again early in the third set.
Fritz broke serve at 3-3 and led 5-4 on Shelton’s serve when he had three chances to end the match. Shelton tied the game with an overhead smash to the net and a backhand winner that sent Fritz the wrong way.
On Fritz’s final match point, Shelton tied the score with a volley and kept the ball with a backhand volley with both players in front of the net.
“If you told me I lost the match after having three match points, I think I would be more frustrated,” Fritz said. “It hurt, but I feel like it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would because I don’t have a lot of regrets about how I hit those match points.”
Fritz’s double fault – the only one all match between players – gave Shelton three break points at 5-5. Shelton grabbed his second break opportunity when Fritz’s forehand went long.
An ace on the second serve gave Shelton three match points, and when Fritz failed to hit back hard on Shelton’s close shot, Shelton converted the second match point into victory.
