Shelton holds off Fritz to clinch Stuttgart title
Ben Shelton did things the hard way once again, but he prevailed in three sets to beat Taylor Fritz and win the Stuttgart Open trophy.
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All four of Shelton's matches at the tournament have seen him go the distance, and he ended up on the right side of a 6-4 2-6 6-4 result in Sunday's showpiece.
Shelton, fresh from a double-header on Sunday, started strong to take a 2-1 lead before then holding off three break points in the following game to maintain his advantage.
Fritz failed to convert another two break points later in the set, and his compatriot served out the first with a love-hold.
However, it was Fritz who started on the front foot in the second, reeling off the first three games for the loss of just one point.
Shelton held off two break points shortly after, but Fritz got another break to take the set and force the decider.
The world number five then had to bide his time, holding serve to level at 3-3 despite Fritz's best efforts, and he wrapped up the match with a three-game winning streak to win his first title in Stuttgart.













