ATP 250 HOUSTON. USA. By Leo Canaparo
Tommy Paul booked his spot in the semifinals of the ATP 250 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston, living up to his top seed status and ATP ranking.
The world No. 13 and tournament’s No. 1 seed defeated fellow American Colton Smith 6-1, 7-6 (1), showing both dominance and composure to move into the final four.
He will face Jenson Brooksby in the semifinals. Brooksby, ranked No. 507 after a long injury layoff, came back from a set down to beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The other semifinal will feature a clash between world No. 33 Brandon Nakashima and No. 17 Frances Tiafoe. Nakashima ousted Chris Eubanks (No. 117) 6-4, 6-4, while Tiafoe closed out the day with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Alex Michelsen (No. 34).
Held in Houston, Texas, the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships is the only ATP Tour event played on clay in the United States. With a rich history dating back to 1910, the tournament has crowned champions such as Andy Roddick, John Isner, Andre Agassi, and most recently, Frances Tiafoe in 2023.