The win marked Ben Shelton’s second title of the season, following his victory at the Nexo Dallas Open in February. | Photo Credit: AFP

Second seed Ben Shelton won the ATP 500 clay-court title in Munich for the first time, beating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 7-5 in the final on Sunday.

A year after finishing runner-up to Alexander Zverev, the World No. 6 secured the fifth ATP title of his career and his second of the season after Dallas.

“I came out at a really high level and have done that before against him,” Shelton said. “The toughest thing is maintaining it as he raises his level. I managed to do that in the second set and played some great tennis.

“I’m happy with my performance this week. I got better and better as the week went on, and I’m happy with the work my team and I put in.”

Shelton, who won an ATP 250 clay-court title in Houston in 2024, also became the first American man since Andre Agassi at the Rome Masters in 2002 to win a title at a higher level on clay.

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“I have big ambitions on clay,” Shelton added. “It is a surface I want to improve on each year. It is slowly becoming one of my favourite surfaces.”

Cobolli, who had impressed in the semifinal with a win over Zverev, could not replicate that level in the final.

Shelton dominated the opening set, breaking in Cobolli’s first two service games. The Italian saved eight set points, six on his own serve, before conceding the set on the ninth.

The second set was more closely contested, with both players holding serve until 5-5. A double fault from Cobolli handed Shelton a crucial break, and the American served out the match in one hour and 31 minutes.

Published on Apr 19, 2026