Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton set up Dallas Open final showdown

Ben Shelton is heading to the Dallas Open final, and he had to scrap for it. The No. 2 seed dug deep against defending champion Denis Shapovalov, rallying past him to punch his ticket to Sunday's showdown. That's the kind of fight-through-adversity performance that separates contenders from pretenders, and Shelton delivered it when it counted.

Standing across the net will be top-seeded Taylor Fritz, who had a comparatively smooth ride through his semifinal, dispatching Marin Cilic in straight sets. Two Americans, two of the highest-ranked players in the world, one trophy on the line — the Dallas Open final doesn't get bigger than this.

This is the matchup the American tennis faithful have been waiting for. Shelton's explosive serve and that thunderous forehand will be tested against Fritz's clean, measured ball-striking and elite court sense. If Shelton can bring the same intensity he showed against Shapovalov and impose his physicality early, this final could be one for the highlight reel.