Ben Shelton claimed his fifth Tour title with a commanding 6-2, 7-5 win over Flavio Cobolli, demonstrating his increasing comfort on clay. This victory marks his second clay title and makes him the first American to win three ATP 500 titles. Shelton's ambitions on clay are growing, especially with Roland Garros approaching, where he was knocked out in the round of 16 last year by eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz. Shelton expressed his satisfaction with his performance, noting his ability to maintain a high level against Cobolli, who had a remarkable run to the final.
The American's win also signifies a milestone as the first American since Andre Agassi in 2002 to win a clay title above the ATP 250 level. In another notable match, Arthur Fils defeated Andrey Rublev 6-2, 7-6 (2) to secure his first title since 2024 at the Barcelona Open. Fils, who returned to action in February after an eight-month injury layoff, clinched his fourth ATP title with this victory. He dominated the first set and, despite facing challenges in the second, managed to prevail in the tiebreak.
Both Shelton and Fils are making significant strides in their careers, with Shelton aiming to improve on clay and Fils marking his return to form after injury.