No. 2 seed Ben Shelton kicks off his Nexo Dallas Open campaign against Gabriel Diallo on Tuesday. Fellow American Alex Michelsen faces veteran Grigor Dimitrov in round one of this ATP 500 tournament.
(2) Ben Shelton vs. Gabriel Diallo
Ben Shelton, who comes into this week on the back of a run to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, will be looking to improve on his second-round showing at this event last year. The American has the right kind of game to play well on the fast courts in Dallas and he beat Gabriel Diallo easily the only other time they played.
Diallo has endured a dreadful start to the year. The Canadian has won two matches in four events played, although his first-round ouster at the Australian Open is understandable — he ran into eventual semifinalist Alexander Zverev. Shelton should make his way into the second round without difficulty.
Cheryl pick: Shelton in 2
Ricky pick: Shelton in 2
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Alex Michelsen
Grigor Dimitrov will be looking to right the ship on the heels of a disappointing start to the 2026 season. The world No. 43 lost in the first round at the Australian Open to Tomas Machac after winning just a single match at the Aussie Open tune-up event in Brisbane.
Dimitrov’s first-round opponent is 41st-ranked Alex Michelsen, who is an American with plenty of potential but is still waiting for his first big breakthrough. Dimitrov had a serious pectoral tear during Wimbledon last summer and is only just making his way back to fitness after missing nearly all of the second half of 2025. Given the Bulgarian’s slow recovery, this is a winnable match for Michelsen.
Cheryl pick: Michelsen in 2
Ricky pick: Michelsen in 3