Shelton beats Fritz for a first grass title

16-14. That is the tiebreak Ben Shelton came through in the Stuttgart semi-final, and the next day he beat Taylor Fritz for the first grass-court title of his career.

Every one of Shelton’s four matches in Stuttgart went the distance. The wildest was the semi-final against Jiri Lehecka, won 6-7(4) 7-6(16-14) 7-6(8-6): three tiebreaks across three sets, the middle one a 30-point fight he edged 16-14.

The final was familiar. Taylor Fritz, the defending Stuttgart champion who had come in one win from a sixth grass title, took the second set before Shelton closed it out 6-4 2-6 6-4. It was the second time this season Shelton has beaten Fritz in a final, after Dallas earlier in the year.

It is the sixth title of Shelton’s career and the first on grass, after three on hard courts and two on clay. A first grass title earned the hard way: four three-setters, and a 16-14 tiebreak to get out of the semi.

Match tale, 14 June 2026, sources: Boss Open, ATP Tour