Ben Shelton defeats Taylor Fritz in three‑set classic to win 2026 Nexo Dallas Open
FRISCO, Texas – The 2026 Nexo Dallas Open ended with the championship match fans had been hoping for — a showdown between the tournament's top two seeds and the two most popular American players on the men's tour.
Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton met Sunday inside a sold‑out Ford Center in Frisco, delivering a final that matched the anticipation surrounding it.
Fritz, the No. 1 seed, jumped ahead early by breaking Shelton's serve and taking the first set 6‑3. Shelton, seeded second, answered with a 6‑3 second set of his own after flipping the momentum and breaking Fritz.
Deciding set goes down to the wire
With the title on the line, the third set stayed tight until 5‑all. Shelton then surged late, completing the comeback and ultimately winning the championship match 3‑6, 6‑3, 7‑5.
After the match, Fritz said the level of play stayed high throughout.
"Like I said, it was a fun match. I felt like you know, I was having some points where I was having some really good shots. He was having some points where he was having some crazy shots. I thought we were just kind of going back and forth. It was just a high level of tennis from both of us," he said.
Fans call the match "excellent"
Spectators leaving the Ford Center said the final lived up to the hype.
Josh Session called it "excellent, excellent tennis match, excellent tournament, really enjoyed every moment of it."
Emily Anderson said the intensity never dipped.
"It didn't look like either of them got tired, so I think we were just on the edge of our seats with no real prediction for who was going to win," Anderson said.
Barbara Singleton said she was thrilled to see two Americans battling for the title.
"Fritz should have won, however, we got two Americans. I cheer for them both, and I love both of the guys. It was just an excellent tournament all week," Singleton said.
A historic finish to the 2026 event
The tournament wrapped with one of its most competitive finals yet – a three‑set battle between two rising American stars who kept the crowd engaged from the opening serve to the final point.
