Happy Tuesday! Two of tennis's most exciting players delivered unforgettable weekends, as Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur claimed titles in Dallas and Rotterdam respectively.

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Ben Shelton captured the Dallas Open title Sunday in stunning fashion, saving three championship points before edging world number seven Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 in a breathless final. Down 15-40 serving at 4-5 in the deciding set, Shelton unleashed a 120-mph second serve, stormed the net, and refused to buckle, eventually breaking Fritz at 5-5 before closing out on a semi-shanked forehand that landed just beyond his rival's reach. "I needed something supernatural to end up winning this tournament," Shelton said afterwards.

The Dallas title raises serious questions about who now leads American men's tennis. Ranked world number nine and five years Fritz's junior, Shelton has consistently shown an ability to elevate in the moments that matter most, with a serve among the most dangerous on tour and a shotmaking arsenal that even Fritz struggles to neutralize. Fritz himself acknowledged Shelton played "the big points and important moments really well," a telling admission from a rival who has historically thrived in exactly those situations.

Taylor Fritz has been the undisputed face of American men's tennis for years, reaching a US Open final and carrying the flag with consistency. But Shelton's performance in Dallas felt like more than just another title. The way he stared down three championship points and willed himself over the finish line confirmed what the eye-test has suggested for a while now: Shelton is a big-match player. With that serve, that shotmaking, and that unmistakable competitive fire, he looks every bit like someone who will win a Grand Slam before his career is done.

Alex de Minaur ended his Rotterdam final hoodoo in emphatic style Sunday, dismantling Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-2 in just 78 minutes to claim his first indoor title and the 11th of his career. Having lost the previous two Rotterdam finals to Jannik Sinner in 2024 and Carlos Alcaraz in 2025, de Minaur saved his best tennis for last, breaking Auger-Aliassime's serve three times while never facing a single break point himself despite the Canadian entering the final having held all 39 of his service games throughout the week. "Third time lucky," de Minaur said with a grin afterwards.

The Rotterdam title adds a significant new dimension to de Minaur's game. Eight of his previous ten career titles had come on outdoor hard courts, leaving questions about whether the Australian could translate his relentless defensive style to the faster indoor conditions where serve-and-power players typically dominate. Sunday's performance emphatically answered those doubts, with de Minaur becoming the first player to reach three consecutive Rotterdam finals in the tournament's 53-year history before converting on his third attempt. The win also gives him his fourth ATP 500 title, cementing his status as one of the most consistent performers outside the very top tier of the men's game.

Stan Wawrinka began his farewell season with a return to the top 100, rising from number 106 to 98 in the ATP rankings after reaching the second round in Rotterdam, making him the first 40-something inside the elite since his old friend Roger Federer occupied the same territory during Wimbledon 2022. The three-time Grand Slam champion has already won five matches in 2026, surpassing his entire win total from last year in just the opening weeks of what he has announced will be his final season on tour.

The milestone places Wawrinka in genuinely exclusive company at the top of the game, alongside Federer, Ivo Karlovic and a handful of players who competed at a high tennis level deep into their forties. The veteran Swiss warrior is making every match count, and his early 2026 form suggests he fully intends to go out on his own terms. For a man who spent years battling injuries and ranking slides, returning to the top 100 at 40 is a fitting reminder of his enduring quality and competitive spirit.

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