It wasn’t just another win for Ben Shelton – it was personal. After grinding through a roller-coaster three-setter in Dallas, the American star dedicated the victory to a family member fighting a battle far bigger than tennis.

At the Nexo Dallas Open, Ben Shelton survived a stern test from crafty French left-hander Adrian Mannarino, edging a dramatic 7-6(2), 6(4)-7, 6-3 contest to reach his 25th ATP Tour-level quarterfinal. Mannarino, fresh off a runner-up finish in Montpellier, neutralized Shelton’s explosive serve for long stretches and even dragged him into exhausting baseline exchanges – including a jaw-dropping 29-shot rally to open the first-set tie-break. But when the big points arrived, Shelton’s power game did too. “I knew it was going to be a battle,” Shelton admitted during the on-court interview. Then came the emotional reveal.

“This one’s for my grandmother. She’s been fighting hard, and I was trying to fight hard out here on the court as well.” The moment immediately reframed the match – what looked like competitive intensity was also fueled by concern off the court.

Shelton has repeatedly emphasized that his family’s presence keeps him grounded during the relentless ATP schedule. During the Wimbledon Championships last season, he described traveling with loved ones as essential to his mindset. “Yeah, it’s huge… we’re staying in a house. So to have friends and family, people to hang out with, and people my age is nice,” he said at that time.

He added that shared moments during long seasons make tournaments more meaningful – not just professional milestones but life memories. For Ben Shelton, Thursday’s victory clearly fell into the latter category.

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The American now reaches the Dallas quarterfinals for the second time and will face Miomir Kecmanović in his next match. But regardless of the next result, Shelton’s message made one thing clear – sometimes tennis is about far more than rankings and trophies. On this night, it was about family strength mirrored on a tennis court.

Despite advancing, the American wasn’t fully satisfied. He acknowledged the physical strain and the tactical challenge Mannarino posed, especially with his ability to absorb pace.

What did Ben Shelton say about the hard-fought battle against the Frenchman in the R16 of the Dallas Open?

This was Ben Shelton’s fifth meeting with Adrian Mannarino. But despite securing a victory in their latest encounter, the American still trail the Frenchman by 2-3 in the H2H record.

Talking about this match, it was flair, fight, and full-throttle tennis in Dallas. After over two and a half hours of relentless exchanges, Ben Shelton finally edged past Adrian Mannarino – but not without acknowledging just how brutal the contest was.

The match had everything. Mannarino forced a deciding set by converting his sixth set point, having earlier let four chances slip at 6-5 – two of which Shelton erased with thunderous aces. The French veteran even produced a jaw-dropping, no-look tweener winner that quickly became a shot-of-the-year contender.

But Shelton found another gear in the decider. According to Infosys ATP Stats, the 23-year-old won 52% of his return points in the third set – a sharp rise from 32% and 31% in the first two sets. That late surge proved decisive in this epic battle. Shelton didn’t mince words when describing the encounter. “Ridiculous tennis,” he said in his on-court interview.

He elaborated further while speaking to ATP media: “I knew it would be a tough battle. I think Adrian played at an extremely high level, as he always does against me. We’ve played incredible matches against each other, and in the last one, I got injured against him at the US Open.”

The American admitted it was a grind from start to finish. “It was undoubtedly a dogfight. He does a lot of things that make the game very, very difficult. Especially when you play against him on an indoor court where the bounce is quite slow.”

That slower indoor surface in Dallas clearly amplified Mannarino’s flat, skidding strokes – forcing Shelton to stay patient and recalibrate his attacking instincts. With the win, Shelton booked his second Dallas quarterfinal and improved to 7-2 for the 2026 season. Up next is Miomir Kecmanović, who stunned Tommy Paul in the final match of the day. Who do you think will win the QF match?