The two top American tennis stars will collide on Sunday with the Dallas Open title on the line as Taylor Fritz takes on Ben Shelton. Bragging rights will be on the line in the final of the ATP 500 event between two players who have been struggling with injuries this season. This will be Shelton’s first ATP Tour final since his Canadian Open triumph in August, while Fritz will be competing in his 20th final and first since September.
Taylor Fritz vs Ben Shelton Match Details
Date: Feb. 15, 2026
Tournament: Dallas Open 2026
Round: Final
Venue: Ford Center at Star, Frisco, Dallas
Surface: Indoor hard
Category: ATP 500
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, TSN, RDS
Fritz vs Shelton Head-to-Head
This will be the third meeting between Fritz and Shelton, with the two American tennis stars splitting the first two. Shelton defeated his compatriot in straight sets en route to the Canadian Open title last year, while Fritz came out on top in three sets when they met at Indian Wells in 2023.
Both players have already been pushed to their limits in Dallas, with Fritz needing three sets to overcome Marcos Giron and Sebastian Korda, before a nail-biting semifinal against Marin Čilić that featured two tie-breaks and ended 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) in the American’s favor.
Fritz didn’t have any double faults during his match against Čilić, but also failed to convert any of his five break-point opportunities.
Shelton has needed three sets to win his last three matches and had to be at his very best to defeat Denis Shapovalov in the semifinals, winning 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4). The 23-year-old looked strong on his serve against the Canadian, saving 10 of 11 break points in a match that lasted nearly three hours.
Before that, Shelton claimed another gritty win over Miomir Kecmanović in the quarterfinals. The American
Fritz vs Shelton Prediction
Fritz has been hitting aces for fun so far in Dallas, crossing the 15-ace mark in all four of his matches and the 20-ace mark in three of the matches. However, while his serve remains a weapon, his return is a concern. Fritz has often struggled to create break point opportunities, which could play into his opponent’s hands in the final.
Shelton’s serve, while not as potent, has worked fairly well for him so far in Dallas, as he has lost just 4 games on serve across his 4 matches. He has also done a great job of winning the important points, while committing fewer unforced errors than his opponents and consistently hitting winners all week.
Fritz’s injury worries and Shelton’s more polished overall game should give him the edge in the Dallas Open final. Cheered on by his partner Trinity Rodman, Shelton will fancy his chances of getting the better of his friend in the title decider.
Pick – Shelton to win in three sets
