Shelton survived a grinder in Dallas and left the crowd buzzing.
The 23-year-old American dug deep to outlast French lefty Adrian Mannarino in a match that had booming serves, crafty angles, a 29-shot highlight rally and enough momentum swings to qualify as a plot twist in an action movie.
Shelton Survives Mannarino Battle
Shelton, the No. 9 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, prevailed 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 6-3 after two hours and 40 minutes to reach his 25th tour-level quarter-final, a marker of steady early-career progress on the ATP Tour.
A Match Full Of Long Rallies And Big Moments
Mannarino, fresh off a final in Montpellier, absorbed Shelton’s power and repeatedly dragged points into tactical exchanges, including a 29-shot rally to open the first-set tie-break that established this fixture as a true chess match with heavy artillery.
The contest swung constantly; Mannarino forced the decider by converting his sixth set point after earlier surrendering four set points on return at 6-5, two of which Shelton erased with booming aces that briefly quieted the arena and shifted momentum.
There were jaw-dropping highlights too, with Mannarino producing a no-look, between-the-legs winner that felt like a vintage veteran trick and reminded everyone that craft and timing can still scare the young guns.
Shelton raised his level in the important moments and in the decider he was better on return, a stat swing that proved decisive as he finally separated himself from the persistent lefty who made him earn every point.
Shelton won 52 per cent of his return points in the third set, compared with 32 and 31 per cent in the first and second sets respectively, and the 23-year-old improved to 2-3 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head with Mannarino.
“Ridiculous tennis,”
Ben Shelton
Other Notes From Dallas
Defending champion and seventh seed Denis Shapovalov produced a tidy performance, defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-4 in 66 minutes without facing a break point, the sort of efficient outing that keeps a title defense realistic.
Marin Cilic notched a milestone, earning his 600th career tour-level win on Wednesday and advancing 7-6(4), 6-3 into his 123rd tour-level quarter-final, second among active players only to Novak Djokovic, who sits at 226.
British qualifier Jack Pinnington Jones survived a two-hour, 52-minute thriller, edging Eliot Spizzirri 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4) to reach his first tour-level quarter-final after turning pro last year following three seasons at TCU.
Up next for Shelton is a potentially tricky match against fifth seed Tommy Paul or Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, a showdown that will test how he balances raw aggression with an increasingly reliable tactical return game under pressure.
The contrast in styles and ages was part of the drama in Dallas, the 23-year-old power basher against the crafty 37-year-old lefty who still conjures amazing shots, a narrative that made this match feel like a small-history lesson and a highlight reel all at once.
For Shelton the win is another forward step on a season that demands consistency as he chases deeper runs, while for Mannarino it was a reminder that craft keeps you competitive even when the youngsters are swinging freely and serving big.
Expect the Dallas Open to continue serving up high-quality matches; between veteran trickery, emerging American firepower and milestone moments there is plenty left to watch as the draw tightens into the business end of the week.
Join the conversation on Facebook.
Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
