Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and Ethan Quinn were all part of an unforgettable pre-tournament moment on the eve of the 2026 Australian Open, when a team dinner at Nobu in Melbourne ended with Quinn losing a round of credit card roulette and unexpectedly footing the bill.
Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and Ethan Quinn Gather for a Familiar Pre-Tournament Ritual
The dinner took place after the Australian Open draw had been finalized, a brief lull when players can momentarily shift their focus away from matchups and rankings. Ten of the top American men’s players gathered at Nobu in Southbank, and as has become customary, the night ended with credit card roulette.
Each player placed a card in the middle of the table, leaving fate to decide who would pay. This year, that fate landed on Quinn, the youngest and least financially established player in the group, despite his rapid rise up the rankings over the past year.
The reactions around the table reflected that imbalance immediately. Shelton, who has earned more than $11 million in career prize money, said he felt compelled to intervene after realizing who had lost. “I was trying to pay for it, to be honest,” Shelton said when recalling the moment in an interview with tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg. “But tradition is tradition, I guess.”
Fritz, who ranks 19th on the ATP’s all-time prize money list with more than $29 million in earnings, shared a similar reaction. “I felt really bad that he lost, with everyone at that table,” Fritz said, acknowledging the financial contrast between Quinn and the rest of the group.
Quinn himself admitted he was mentally preparing for a brutal number when the check arrived. “I was expecting worse,” he said after converting the total into U.S. dollars. “It was $2,500 U.S.” He went on to explain how his expectations were far higher going in, adding, “Not as bad as I was expecting. I was expecting 8 grand, to be perfectly honest with you.”
Quinn also pointed out the key factor that kept the bill from ballooning further. “No one drank, so that’s kind of what helped,” he said.
How Are Shelton, Fritz, and Quinn Shaping Their Runs at the 2026 Australian Open?
On the court, Fritz kicked off his 10th Melbourne campaign with a 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 win over Valentin Royer. The ninth seed will now take on Vit Kopriva in the second round in what will be their first meeting on the ATP Tour. According to PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator, Fritz is 86% likely to win the clash. The winner of this match will face either French qualifier Arthur Gea or Swiss wildcard Stan Wawrinka in the third round.
Shelton also opened his fourth Australian Open run strongly, moving past Ugo Humbert with a 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) victory. The eighth seed followed that up with a straight-sets win over Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny, cruising 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to book a spot in the third round. Awaiting him next is 30th seed Valentin Vacherot, marking the first time the two will meet at the ATP Tour level.
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Quinn, meanwhile, is competing in the Australian Open main draw for the first time this season and made an immediate impression by dispatching 23rd seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
As of this writing, Quinn is locked in a second-round contest against Hubert Hurkacz, with the winner set to advance to a third-round clash against 16th seed Jakub Menšík.
