Ben Shelton secured his fifth Tour title by defeating Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 7-5 in the BMW Open final, admitting that clay is gradually becoming one of his preferred surfaces. Shelton's victory marked his second clay title and made him the first American to win three ATP 500 titles.
Following his win, Shelton expressed his ambitions for the upcoming clay season, including Roland Garros. He reflected on his performance, stating, "I started at a high level, which I've done before against him. The challenge is maintaining that level as he elevates his game." Shelton added, "I'm pleased with my progress this week, continually improving, and I'm grateful for the work my team and I have put in." Shelton broke Cobolli's serve in the first game and withstood six break points in his first service game, setting the tone for the match.
Cobolli, who had played an exceptional match against Alexander Zverev the day before, was unable to replicate that finesse in the final. Shelton's win also made him the first American since Andre Agassi in 2002 to win a title on clay above the ATP 250 level. Meanwhile, Arthur Fils won his first title since 2024 at the Barcelona Open, defeating Andrey Rublev 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Fils, who returned to action in February after nearly eight months out due to injury, claimed his fourth ATP title with the victory.