Thriller! Shelton Saves Match Points, Sets Up All-American Stuttgart Final vs. Fritz

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, June 13, 2026
Photo credit: Boss Open Facebook

In tennis’ version of sudden death, Ben Shelton comes alive.

Tiebreak titan Shelton saved two match points in the second-set tiebreaker battling past Jiri Lehecka 6-7(4), 7-6(14), 7-6(6) in an exhilarating Boss Open semifinal.

It is Shelton’s first career Top 20 victory on grass and marks the second time he’s saved a match point in this tournament. Shelton also saved a match point edging compatriot Marcos Giron in round two.

“Sometimes tennis doesn’t go to plan,” Shelton said after improving to 17-7 in tiebreakers. “I lost the first set in every single match I played. That can make things difficult, but there are a lot of ways to win a match.

“I’ve been choosing the most difficult route, but my opponents have played great matches. Shoutout to Jiri. I thought he played an outstanding match today. I thought the level was really high.”

The top-seeded Shelton set up an all-American Stuttgart final vs. reigning champion and buddy Taylor Fritz.

Earlier, Fritz fired 13 aces sweeping Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-4, for his seventh straight Stuttgart win.

The Stuttgart final pits two of America’s most explosive players nearly four months to the day after they faced off in a dramatic Dallas final indoors.

“I’m very tired, but excited to be playing him in another final,” Shelton said. “It’s our second final against each other this year.

“He’s one of the top American guys I’ve always looked up to. Anytime that we get to share the court is a lot of fun.”

On February 15th, Shelton saved three championship points serving at 4-5 in the decider sparking a gritty 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 comeback conquest of Taylor Fritz in the thrilling all-American Nexo Dallas Open final. It was Shelton’s fourth career title and he did it relying on superb serving, fast hands and fearless net play with the match on the line.

The 28-year-old Fritz is the first reigning champion to reach the Stuttgart final since Austrian left-hander Thomas Muster won back-to-back titles in 1995-96.

The second-seeded Fritz is 16-2 on grass since the start of 2025, including titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne.

It is the 21st Tour-level final for Fritz, who carries a 5-0 record in grass-court finals into the title match.

Across the net, Shelton, who has won two of three meetings vs. Fritz, is playing for his sixth career title.

World No. 5 Shelton is aiming for his third title of 2026 on three different surfaces following his title runs in Dallas (indoor hard court) and Munich (outdoor clay). 

 Shelton streaked through 20 consecutive service points to start the match before Lehecka went up Love-30 on the American’s serve in the 11th game. Shelton double faulted to face double break point, but denied both break points with a couple of biting body serves holding for 6-5.

The Czech cracked successive aces to force the tiebreaker.

Shelton, who carried a 16-7 tiebreaker record on the season into this breaker, earned the first mini break to go up 3-1. 

Deadlocked at 4-all, Shelton flicked a poor drop shot that sat up as Lehecka swooped in for a forehand winner down the line. On his first set point, Lehecka closed the 45-minute opener on a Shelton forehand error.

It was Lehecka’s first set win over Shelton.

The Czech cracked a crosscourt forehand winner for match poignant at 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker.

In a wild point that saw both men going nose to nose at net, Shelton knifed a high backhand volley winner for 6-6.

Racing left, Lehecka last a fantastic running backhand strike down the line for a second match point at 9-8.

Reaching back, Shelton smacked a serve winner out wide to save the second match point. Lehecka would save set set points as the tiebreaker escalated into high tension.

On his eighth set point Shelton lasered a lefty forehand forehand down the line ending an electric 16-14 tiebreaker to force a final set.

Facing break point at 30-40 in the fifth game, Shelton slammed his 18th ace to save it, eventually holding for 3-2.

The third set tiebreaker ultimately turned on Shelton’s aggression and the fact the American’s lefty forehand was a bit more stable under pressure than Lehecka’s forehand wing, which betrayed him in the final stages of the break.

Lehecka earned the early mini break for 3-1 and was up 5-4 when Shelton scalded a forehand flash crosscourt for 5-all. Lehecka sailed a forehand.

On his first match point, Shelton caught up to the Czech’s drop shot but could not control his reply. Still, Lehecka gave the American another forehand gift for a second match point at 7-6.

Drilling a forehand return, Shelton closed a tremendous triple tiebreaker battle in two hours, 52 minutes to secure a spot in his eighth career final.