Ben Shelton is looking for a place in the quarterfinals of the Dallas ATP 500 against Adrian Mannarino on Thursday. Fellow American Tommy Paul continues his quest for a second Dallas title against Miomir Kecmanovic.
(2) Ben Shelton vs. Adrian Mannarino
This has been a tough game for Ben Shelton. Adrian Mannarino owns a 3-1 record in the head-to-head series. Mannarino enters Dallas with a run to the final in Montpellier. He’s as close to a home pro as tennis gets, so while Shelton is ranked ninth to Mannarino’s 52, the American isn’t exactly a prohibitive favorite this time around.
The Frenchman defeated Shelton at the US Open last summer, but Shelton suffered an injury in the fourth set and was forced to retire. There will be a lot of big hitting – on Shelton’s part – this time, but Mannarino is adamant. Don’t be surprised if this is annoying.
Cheryl picks: Mannarino at 3
Ricky pick: Shelton at 2
(5) Tommy Paul vs. Miromir Kecmanovic
Tommy Paul and Miromir Kecmanovic are no strangers. They have met five times, although their most recent match was back in 2024. Kecmanovic has a slight edge in the match at 3-2. Paul had a great start to the season, making the semi-finals in Adelaide and the round of 16 at the Australian Open – where he was eliminated by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Photo credit – Dallas Open
With Paul playing in front of his home crowd and the Serb going 1-4 on the season (including his first round win this week over Sho Shimabukuro), this should be an easy way into the quarterfinals for Paul.
Cheryl choose: Paul for 2
Ricky pick: Paul at 2
