Shelton Reaches Dallas Final After Epic Shapovalov Battle

American tennis star Ben Shelton produced a thrilling performance to defeat defending champion Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Dallas Open semifinals. The match went down to the wire, with Shelton saving 10 of 11 break points, including crucial saves at 2-2 in the second set and 5-5 in the third.

Shelton’s victory sets up a final clash with top seed Taylor Fritz, who earlier halted Marin Cilic in a tense two-hour, two-minute semifinal, winning 7-6(5), 7-6(3). Fritz dominated the match with 22 aces, showing the composure of a seasoned top-ranked player.

The Dallas Open final marks a rare occurrence on the ATP Tour, as both the first and second seeds will meet for the trophy. This is the first time since 1981 that top two seeds have simultaneously reached finals at three ATP tournaments in the same week, with matches also occurring in Rotterdam and Buenos Aires.

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Shelton and Fritz have met twice previously in ATP competitions, splitting their head-to-head encounters. Notably, Shelton triumphed over Fritz in last year’s Toronto semifinals en route to his first ATP Masters 1000 title, adding intrigue to Sunday’s Dallas final.

This week, four of the ATP Top 10 players are competing for titles across multiple events. In Rotterdam, Alex de Minaur will attempt to reach his third consecutive final, while Felix Auger-Aliassime awaits as the second seed. In Buenos Aires, Francisco Cerundolo aims for his first home-soil title against second seed Luciano Darderi.

The Dallas Open final promises an intense battle between two in-form Americans, with both players showcasing strong service games, tactical acumen, and a determination to claim the prestigious ATP trophy.

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