Shelton wins Munich title in dominant display

Ben Shelton is now a Munich champion. The American beat Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 7-5 today to claim the BMW Open title, his fifth on tour and second on clay.

I'll be honest, this was one of those finals where I would genuinely be happy with either one of the players winning. Cobolli has been one of my favorite players to watch this season, and after the week he had, part of me was really rooting for him. The day before the final, he had broken down in tears on court after beating Zverev in the semis.

"A friend of mine passed away yesterday. He was only 13 years old. This win is for him," he said in his on-court interview. It was genuinely one of the most moving moments I've seen on a tennis court in a while. Going into the final carrying that weight, anyone would want good things for him.

But Shelton was simply too good today day. He set the tone immediately, breaking Cobolli's serve in the very first game, then fending off six consecutive break points in his own opening service game. That sequence said everything you need to know about how the match went. The first set was over quickly, and while the second was tighter, Shelton found the break he needed at 5-5 and served it out comfortably.

The win also makes Shelton the first American since Andre Agassi in Rome in 2002 to win a clay title above the ATP 250 level. His first came at the Houston Men's Clay Court Championships in 2024, a tournament I actually ball-kid for every year, so seeing him go on to become one of the best Americans on clay has been really special to witness.

"I have big ambitions for the clay courts," Shelton said on court. "It is slowly becoming one of my favorite surfaces to play on."

With Roland Garros on the horizon, the rest of the draw has been warned.