{"id":467761,"date":"2026-02-11T09:43:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T09:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/467761\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T09:43:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T09:43:07","slug":"taylor-fritz-dazzles-in-dallas-win-with-behind-the-back-hot-shot-and-best-returning-in-years-atp-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/467761\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Fritz dazzles in Dallas win with behind-the-back hot shot and ‘best returning in years’ | ATP Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Match Report
\n With behind-the-back hot shot and ‘best returning in years’, Fritz dazzles in Dallas win<\/p>\n

Shelton, Michelsen also advance<\/p>\n

February 11, 2026<\/p>\n

Sam Hodde\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Taylor Fritz goes behind the back for a shot-of-the-year contender in Dallas.
\n By ATP Staff<\/p>\n

In a Nexo Dallas Open<\/a> rubber match, Taylor Fritz<\/a> used a late surge to defeat fellow American Marcos Giron<\/a> in the opening round at the ATP 500. After the pair split two previous meetings at the event, Fritz prevailed Tuesday night, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(1), in his first action since the Australian Open<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The top seed in Dallas for the fourth time in five years, Fritz made his statistical superiority count by storming to a 6\/0 lead in the deciding tie-break. He did not face a break point in the final set, while Giron saved all four against him in the decider, according to Infosys ATP Stats.<\/p>\n

“I know it sounds crazy, because I didn’t break serve, but I think that whole third set is the best set of tennis I’ve returned,” Fritz said post-match. “From a returning serve standpoint, that’s the best returning set I’ve played in years, I think.”<\/p>\n

Fritz’s victory continued his dominance in the opening round of hard-court events after posting a 13-0 mark on such occasions last season. The American also improved to 17-1 against players outside the Top 50 of the PIF ATP Rankings since June and 6-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Giron.<\/p>\n

Long before the third-set tie-break, there were two flash points in the opening set, including a shot-of-the-year contender. Fritz came up with the gem when he went behind the back for a winner after a net cord appeared to leave him stranded. Fritz also required early treatment for a tweak in his leg, but he quickly recovered and said the issue was not related to his lingering knee tendinitis.<\/p>\n

“The shot I hit is cool, but it’s honestly not that hard to hit,” Fritz said modestly. “It was good. It was one of those where it was actually the only option I had, because I was moving, my momentum, I was fully lunging to the down-the-line pass and then, off balance, it was kind of all I had. But yeah, it was a fun one.”<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Ben Shelton<\/a> also earned a Tuesday win, with the second seed notching a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Gabriel Diallo<\/a>. The American saved all three break points against him and improved to 10-1 in opening rounds since Wimbledon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Marin Cilic<\/a> earned his 600th tour-level win with a 7-5, 7-6(4) upset of sixth seed Learner Tien<\/a>, joining Novak Djokovic<\/a> as the only active players to reach that wins milestone. The victory also moved him past fellow Croatian Goran Ivanisevic<\/a>, who ended his career on 599 tour-level wins.<\/p>\n

You May Also Like: Cilic joins Djokovic as only active players with 600 wins<\/a><\/p>\n

Great Britain’s Jack Pinnington Jones<\/a> also sprung an upset, beating fourth seed Flavio Cobolli<\/a> 6-2, 6-2, while Alex Michelsen<\/a> knocked off Grigor Dimitrov<\/a> 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.<\/p>\n

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