Taylor Fritz has shared his thoughts following his defeat to Ben Shelton in the Dallas Open final.

Despite dealing with injuries, Fritz managed to reach the final in Dallas for the first time in his career.

The former US Open finalist even held three championship points but couldn’t close it out against Shelton.

Afterwards, Fritz spoke about being caught off guard by his reaction to the loss and has since taken to social media to expand on those emotions.

Taylor Fritz shares thoughts on Ben Shelton defeat with Instagram post

After the match, Fritz mentioned that the loss to Shelton didn’t hit him as hard as he thought it might. But even so, there’s still a sense that it’s had an effect.

In his first Instagram post since that final, Fritz admitted the loss stung but also said he was encouraged by how his game is shaping up following a tough stretch in Australia to start the year.

“Thank you Dallas,” he wrote, adding a heart emoji. “Level is there and getting better every match. Yesterday hurts, but happy with the tennis all week.

“Congrats to @benshelton for an unreal fight and a well-deserved title. On to the next.”

Shelton replied to the post with nothing more than a prayer hands emoji.

The result had another consequence for Fritz beyond just the scoreline. Following the loss, he also slipped down in the latest ATP rankings update.

Taylor Fritz could be feeling the impact of more than just match points missed against Ben Shelton

Beyond the three championship points he had, there are other reasons why this defeat might sting for Fritz, particularly when considering his recent track record in finals.

He’s got 10 career singles titles to his name, but eight of those have come at ATP 250 level.

The last time he lifted a trophy above that level was back in 2022, when he won the Japan Open. That same year, he also picked up the biggest title of his career at Indian Wells and has since made it to a Grand Slam final at the US Open.

Ranked number eight in the world now, Fritz will have a quick turnaround to get back on court, as he’s set to play at the Delray Beach Open this week.

He’s already won that event twice before, but even another victory there would still add just another ATP 250 title to his resume.

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