Tommy Paul wins final-set tie-break to claim Dallas thriller | ATP Tour

Match Report

Paul wins final-set tie-break to claim Dallas thriller; Fritz cruises

Top seed Fritz downs Nakashima

February 11, 2026

Former Nexo Dallas Open champion Tommy Paul was pushed to the brink in his opener on Wednesday, but he found a way past the 2022 finalist Jenson Brooksby to reach the second round at the ATP 500.

In a two-hour, 25-minute battle, Paul overcame American countryman Brooksby 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4). The fifth seed struck 18 winners off his forehand and was impressive behind his first serve in the third set, winning 21 of 23 points.

“I feel like he can put the ball all over the court and can make you move around so much,” Paul said. “I like to feel that I move well, so I make it tough for him to end points. I was holding a lot easier than I normally do against Jenson and the first set and a half was way quicker than normal, so it was a little bit different. I was happy to get through it.”

Paul, who reached the fourth round at the Australian Open last month, lifted the trophy at the tournament in 2024 when it was still an ATP 250, before he enjoyed a semi-final run last season. The 28-year-old leads Brooksby 3-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and will next meet Miomir Kecmanovic.

Top seed Taylor Fritz raced past fellow California native Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 6-4 after one hour and nine minutes. The World No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings won 83 per cent of his first-serve points and saved all three break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I think coming off the match from the other night, I got a lot of rhythm,” said Fritz. “I felt like the ball was coming up a bit more, I had a bit more time, I felt like I could really attack more than I was able to [the other night]. I felt like I was hitting the ball great.”

Too good 🔥@NexoDallasOpen | #DALOpen | @Taylor_Fritz97 pic.twitter.com/lZm4rnppK2

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 12, 2026

Fritz, who was bothered by his right knee in the early stages of his first-round match against Marcos Giron, showed no signs of hindered movement against Nakashima. Into the quarter-finals, the 28-year-old will next meet another American, Sebastian Korda, who ousted eighth seed Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 6-1. With his win, Korda tied his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Tiafoe at 4-4, having won four of their past five meetings.

Korda, 25, dropped just four points behind his first serve and stuck his backhand confidently to advance after 68 minutes.

American Ethan Quinn defeated wild card Trevor Svajda 7-6(3), 7-5 to reach the second round. Quinn advanced to the third round at the Australian Open last month and earned a dramatic win in the first round of the Davis Cup Qualifiers on clay on Saturday against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan. Paul also recorded a victory in the same tie for the United States in Hungary.

Playing with confidence, the No. 74 player in the PIF ATP Rankings rallied from a break down in the first set and won 87 per cent (41/47) of his first-serve points against Svajda, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to triumph after one hour and 47 minutes. Quinn will play Marin Cilic in the second round. The Croatian claimed his 600th tour-level victory on Tuesday.

Watch Extended Highlights from Wednesday’s action in Dallas