Tennis News

US Open finalist Taylor Fritz to play in Dallas' premier tennis tournament

Taylor Fritz will play in the 2025 Dallas Open.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Open

Top-ranked American tennis player Taylor Fritz will lead a grand slam-worthy lineup at the 2025 Dallas Open next February in Frisco.

According to a release, Fritz (currently ranked No. 6 in the world) will be joined by lifelong rival and fellow American superstar Frances Tiafoe (currently ranked No. 17), American Tommy Paul (No. 12), Norwegian Casper Ruud (No.8), and more.

The 2025 Dallas Open will take place February 1-9, 2025 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, the headquarters and training facility of the Dallas Cowboys. (It was previously held at SMU.)

The tournament will elevate its status from an ATP 250 to an ATP 500 event, promising the strongest field since the tournament's move to North Texas in 2022, the release says, as the upgrade offers players the chance to earn more ATP ranking points and compete for a share of approximately $2.8 million in prize money.

“I’m looking forward to returning to North Texas to compete in an elevated tournament at a one-of-a-kind venue,” Fritz said in a statement. “The Dallas Open has been a great event and will only be bigger and better with the upgrades starting in 2025.”

Fritz, a 2023 Dallas Open semifinalist and 2022 Dallas Open quarterfinalist, is the top-ranked American man in the world. Currently ranked No. 6 in the PIF ATP Tour Rankings, Fritz won two of his eight career ATP Tour titles in 2024 (Eastbourne, Delray Beach). The 27-year old was the 2024 US Open runner-up and a quarterfinalist at both the 2024 Australian Open and Wimbledon Championships.

Frances Tiafoe is playing in the 2025 Dallas Open. Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Tiafoe, a two-time Dallas Open quarterfinalist, is the third-highest ranked American. Tiafoe reached his second career Grand Slam semifinal at this year’s US Open, falling in five sets to Fritz.

“It’s exciting to see another 500-level tournament added here in the U.S.,” Tiafoe said in a statement. “The energy at the Dallas Open is electric, and I can’t wait to compete in this year’s event.”

The 2025 Dallas Open will be the only ATP Tour indoor championship in the United States, and features men’s top world tennis players in singles and doubles competition. Previously held as the New York Open, it's one of the longest-running American tournaments on the ATP Tour.

“The Dallas Open, America’s newest ATP 500-level tournament, continues to strengthen its deepest field yet as we welcome back two of the best players in the world – Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe,” Tournament Director Peter Lebedevs said. “Both Taylor and Frances have played phenomenal tennis in 2024, and we look forward to them showcasing their top-level talent in front of our fans here in North Texas in February.”

Weeklong and weekend ticket packages for the 2025 Dallas Open are available at www.dallasopen.com.

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Fans of Dallas sports and Dallas food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit, presented by Verizon. The event goes down from 6-9 pm December 9 at The Empire Room. Find out more about it here.

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Free Fair Fun

State Fair of Texas adds dazzling drone show and more free events in 2026

State Fair of Texas Ferris wheel at night

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

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Spending money at the State Fair of Texas is easy to do, so it's nice to know that there's also a long list of free activities for visitors each year, including music, performing artists, educational exhibits, and more.

A number of new free entertainment options are also on the docket for the 2026 event — running September 25-October 18 — including a dazzling new drone show among other highlights, according to a release.

Stars of the Fair, a three-night drone show on October 2-4, features images of Big Tex and other State Fair icons lighting up the sky. Created by Coppell-based Sky Elements, each of the three nights will feature two shows, beginning at approximately 8:15 pm and 9:15 pm.

Drone show at the State Fair of Texas A drone show will be one of many free entertainment options at the 2026 State Fair of Texas. Photo by Kevin Brown

Other new entertainment choices include Wacky Chad, who delivers an action‑packed, interactive stunt comedy show; daily fountain shows at The Esplanade of State, running every 30 minutes from 1-5 pm; two new exhibitions at the Hall of State; Texas in the Saddle, an innovative and educational horse show; and more.

Music and more free performances
As previously announced, the State Fair’s live music lineup will include nearly 100 artists performing across four stages, with the newly reimagined Chevrolet Main Stage now located inside Fair Park Coliseum.

Main Stage headliners will include Clint Black, La Alianza Norteña, Bowling for Soup, Paul Wall’s Fall Ball, Kansas, 3OH!3, Gym Class Heroes, and more.

Other performers include “¡Fiestas de Marionetas!,” in which a small village of more than 85 handmade marionettes come to life to celebrate a fiesta of color, culture, and creativity; and World of Magic, featuring award-winning illusionists and futuristic elements.

Free fun for the kids
The new children's area called Little Lone Stars Land will feature a variety of kid-friendly entertainers, including Wacky Chad (September 25-October 6), USA Breakdancers (October 7-18), and strongman Mighty Mike.

Visitors should be on the lookout for State Fair-inspired inflatable characters like Little Big Tex, Amy-Dillo, and Champ, who will entertain guests with their wild antics.

Other free fair favorites
At night, the Starlight Parade will light up the Fair Park skyline, featuring over-the-top spectacular floats. The parade wanders through the fairgrounds all 24 nights of the Fair, bringing a colorful assortment of floats, life-size puppets, animated characters in ornate costumes, and more.

Car lovers can get their fix in two different ways: At the Texas Auto Show, where auto enthusiasts can browse the latest and greatest models; and Chevrolet's brand-new take on its Ride & Drive event, allowing qualified drivers the chance to get behind the wheel of the most anticipated vehicles of the year.

The fan-favorite Pig Races will return to Chevy Park Plaza, as piglets dressed in racing silks run the course four times a day.

All of the above and more are in addition to interactive experiences, photo opportunities, games, product samples, giveaways, and more offered by State Fair of Texas partners.

A full lineup of entertainment options can be found at BigTex.com/Attractions.

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