Bold opening: Taylor Fritz proves he’s in a league of his own, blasting 22 aces to outlast a resurgent Marin Cilic and book a Dallas final spot.
Dallas, February 14, 2026 — Taylor Fritz, the top seed, toppled a resurgent Marin Cilic in a tightly contested Nexo Dallas Open semifinal, edging the Croatian 7-6(5), 7-6(3) in a two-hour, two-minute duel. The victory highlighted Fritz’s precision from the serve, as he fired 22 aces compared with Cilic’s 16, and he didn’t face a single break point.
Calm, confident serving carried Fritz through the pivotal moments. “Just really calm serving. I think that’s the biggest thing when I feel calm and relaxed, I serve well,” he explained after the match.
Both players delivered heavy artillery throughout the clash, with no breaks of serve in the contest. Fritz converted none of his five break-point opportunities, yet his serve-clinching consistency — winning 86 percent of his first-serve points (48 of 56) — proved decisive.
Fritz reflected on the pressure of defending a opponent’s service games. “That’s something every tennis player experiences when you’re the one in the opponent’s service games. You have some chances, you’re cruising on your service games and all of a sudden they get one break point, you’ll probably win it. You’ll go to the tie-break, all of a sudden some returns came back and I just told myself to be really ready in that tie-break.”
With the win, Fritz moves to 3-1 in the head-to-head against Cilic and advances to his first final on home soil since the US Open run in 2024. He will meet either fellow American Ben Shelton or defending champion Denis Shapovalov in Sunday’s championship match.
Cilic’s semifinal run kept him chasing a return to a final outside the ATP 250 tier for the first time since lifting the Queen’s Club title in 2018. The Dallas result lifts the Croat 18 spots to No. 43 in the live ATP rankings.
And this is where the story gets interesting: Fritz’s dominance on serve sets up a compelling final in Dallas, potentially pitting the American against Shelton or Shapovalov in a bid to claim the title on home soil. The question on everyone’s lips: can Fritz sustain this serving rhythm through a high-stakes final, or will the other finalist tilt the balance?
Thought-provoking takeaway: Fritz’s fearless serving under pressure demonstrates how a single weapon, when executed with precision and calm, can carry a player through tight moments. Do you think Fritz’s success is a testament to mental composure, or is it more about mechanical serve perfection? Share your thoughts in the comments.
