FRISCO, Texas – Top seed Taylor Fritz defeated Marin Cilic in straight sets and No. 2 Ben Shelton cruised past defending champion Denis Shapovalov on Saturday night, setting up a Dallas Open final between the world’s top-ranked Americans.
Fritz had 22 aces in his 7-6(5), 7-6(3) win, while Shelton got his game going with a scintillating crosscourt forhand winner as he faced three break points early in the second set to cruise to a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory.
The 28-year-old Fritz is ranked seventh in the world, two places ahead of Shelton, who is coming off an Australian Open quarter-final that ended with a loss to Jannik Sinner in straight sets.
Fritz, a 10-time ATP Tour champion, and Shelton split their first two meetings. Shelton has three tour titles to his name heading into Sunday’s final.
“Are you telling me this is the finale you want to see?” Shelton asked, prompting cheers from fans in the indoor football stadium that doubles as the Dallas Cowboys’ practice field at the club’s headquarters. “I’m super excited about that game.”
Shelton came back from a set down for the second consecutive match after beating Miomir Kecmanovic in the quarterfinals.
The 23-year-old was a set behind and conceded three break points at 1-1 in the second when the crosscourt winner got him going. He later had two set points on seventh-seeded Shapovalov’s serve and converted the second to force the deciding set.
Shelton won three of the last four points in the tiebreak and sealed the victory with another forehand winner.
Fritz had three set points in the first tiebreak and three match points in the second against the unseeded Cilic.
The 2024 US Open finalist closed the first with his third straight ace after Cilic saved two set points.
One of Cilic’s eight double faults (Fritz had none) gave Fritz an early opening in the second tiebreak. Fritz won his first match point as the return of the 2014 US Open champion took a long time.
The 37-year-old Cilic used his powerful serve to escape several difficult spots in a match with 38 aces. Cilic, seeking his 600th singles victory, saved all five break points against him, while Fritz faced none in his third win in four meetings with Cilic.
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