Match Report
\n Paul wins final-set tie-break to claim Dallas thriller; Fritz cruises<\/p>\n
Top seed Fritz downs Nakashima<\/p>\n
February 11, 2026<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
Tommy Paul won the title in Dallas in 2024.
\n By Sam Jacot<\/p>\n
Former Nexo Dallas Open<\/a> champion Tommy Paul<\/a> was pushed to the brink in his opener on Wednesday, but he found a way past the 2022 finalist Jenson Brooksby<\/a> to reach the second round at the ATP 500.<\/p>\n In a two-hour, 25-minute battle, Paul overcame American countryman Brooksby 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4). The fifth seed struck 18 winners off his forehand and was impressive behind his first serve in the third set, winning 21 of 23 points.<\/p>\n “I feel like he can put the ball all over the court and can make you move around so much,” Paul said. “I like to feel that I move well, so I make it tough for him to end points. I was holding a lot easier than I normally do against Jenson and the first set and a half was way quicker than normal, so it was a little bit different. I was happy to get through it.”<\/p>\n Paul, who reached the fourth round at the Australian Open<\/a> last month, lifted the trophy at the tournament in 2024 when it was still an ATP 250, before he enjoyed a semi-final run last season. The 28-year-old leads Brooksby 3-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and will next meet Miomir Kecmanovic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Top seed Taylor Fritz<\/a> raced past fellow California native Brandon Nakashima<\/a> 6-3, 6-4 after one hour and nine minutes. The World No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings won 83 per cent of his first-serve points and saved all three break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.<\/p>\n “I think coming off the match from the other night, I got a lot of rhythm,” said Fritz. “I felt like the ball was coming up a bit more, I had a bit more time, I felt like I could really attack more than I was able to [the other night]. I felt like I was hitting the ball great.”<\/p>\n Too good \ud83d\udd25@NexoDallasOpen<\/a> | #DALOpen<\/a> | @Taylor_Fritz97<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/lZm4rnppK2<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) February 12, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n \nFritz, who was bothered by his right knee in the early stages of his first-round match against Marcos Giron<\/a>, showed no signs of hindered movement against Nakashima. Into the quarter-finals, the 28-year-old will next meet another American, Sebastian Korda<\/a>, who ousted eighth seed Frances Tiafoe<\/a> 7-5, 6-1. With his win, Korda tied his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Tiafoe at 4-4, having won four of their past five meetings.<\/p>\n Korda, 25, dropped just four points behind his first serve and stuck his backhand confidently to advance after 68 minutes. <\/p>\n American Ethan Quinn<\/a> defeated wild card Trevor Svajda<\/a> 7-6(3), 7-5 to reach the second round. Quinn advanced to the third round at the Australian Open<\/a> last month and earned a dramatic win in the first round of the Davis Cup Qualifiers on clay on Saturday against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan<\/a>. Paul also recorded a victory in the same tie for the United States in Hungary.<\/p>\n Playing with confidence, the No. 74 player in the PIF ATP Rankings rallied from a break down in the first set and won 87 per cent (41\/47) of his first-serve points against Svajda, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to triumph after one hour and 47 minutes. Quinn will play Marin Cilic<\/a> in the second round. The Croatian claimed his 600th tour-level victory on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Watch Extended Highlights from Wednesday’s action in Dallas<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n