Ben Shelton claimed his fifth Tour title with a decisive 6-2, 7-5 victory over Flavio Cobolli, revealing that clay is gradually becoming a surface he enjoys competing on. Shelton's win marked a triumphant return to the BMW Open final, avenging his loss to Alexander Zverev the previous year. This victory also made him the first American to win three ATP 500 titles and the first to claim a clay title above the ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi in 2002.
Following his win, Shelton expressed his growing ambitions on clay, particularly with Roland Garros approaching. Last year, he was eliminated in the round of 16 by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. Shelton acknowledged the challenge of maintaining a high level against tough opponents like Cobolli, who had an impressive win over Zverev in the previous round.
"I started at a very high level, which I've done before against him," Shelton said. "The hardest part is sustaining that level when he elevates his game. I managed to do that in the second set, staying strong when he played exceptional tennis, and ultimately won in straight sets." Shelton expressed satisfaction with his performance throughout the week, noting that he and his team had worked diligently to improve. As he looks to the future, Shelton has high aspirations for his clay court performances, aiming to enhance his skills on this surface each year.
The match's tone was established early, with Shelton breaking Cobolli's serve in the first game and then defending against six break points in his first service game. Although Cobolli had played an outstanding match against Zverev to reach the final, he was unable to replicate that finesse in the final. Shelton's victory marks a significant milestone, making him the first American since Andre Agassi to win a title on clay above the ATP 250 level. The ATP and WTA Tours can be watched live on Sky Sports or streamed with the Sky Sports app.