Shelton Sets Up Halle Rematch with Fritz

By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, June 18, 2026
Photo credit: Terra Wortmann Open Facebook

Halle’s green grass will carry a red, white and blue hue.

Ben Shelton stung 16 aces beating compatriot Ethan Quinn 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to set up another all-American showdown vs. Taylor Fritz in the Halle Open quarterfinals.

Quinn broke first for a 2-0 lead in the final set. Shelton responded winning six of the final eight games to score his sixth straight win and move closer to grass-court history.

Stuttgart champion Shelton is playing to become the first man to win both German grass-court championships in the same season.

On Sunday, Shelton dethroned defending champion Taylor Fritz 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 on the Stuttgart grass to capture his third title of the season on his third different surface at the Boss Open. Branding himself a champion for all surfaces, Shelton has now collected championships on grass, clay (Munich) and the hard court of Dallas where he defeated Fritz in a dramatic final shootout. Shelton is the first American man since Sam Querrey in 2010 to win titles on three different surfaces in the same season. Shelton joins world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who has won five titles in 2026, as the second man to claim three or more championships this year.

Earlier, Fritz fired past Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-4 in 65 minutes.

In an imposing serving performance, Fritz served 70 percent, pumped 16 aces against only 1 double fault and won 30 of 32 first-serve points.

The ninth-ranked Fritz beat Marozsan for the third time in as many meetings. Shelton and Fritz join Frances Tiafoe in the last eight marking the first time three Americans reached the quarterfinals of the same Halle event in tournament history.

Tiafoe takes on Felix Auger-Aliassime for a semifinal spot. Yesterday, the second-seeded Canadian edged American Learner Tien 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5). The 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime is 3-0 lifetime vs. Tiafoe.

Former US Open finalist Fritz has won a Tour-best 41 grass-court matches since 2020. Fritz, who owns a 5-1 record in grass-court finals, is bidding for his win over Shelton since their first meeting at the 2023 Indian Wells.