Brooksby Stuns Paul in Houston, Set to Face Tiafoe for Championship
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Synopsis
In an exciting semifinal match at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, Jenson Brooksby upset top seed Tommy Paul, winning 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(6). Brooksby will now face Frances Tiafoe in the final, aiming to become the lowest-ranked champion in tournament history.
Key Takeaways
- Jenson Brooksby defeated Tommy Paul in a thrilling semifinal.
- Brooksby is the sixth player ranked outside the Top 500 to reach a tour-level final since 1990.
- He saved a match point during the intense third set.
- Brooksby will face Frances Tiafoe in the final.
- A win for Brooksby would make him the lowest-ranked champion in US Clay history.
Houston, April 6 (NationPress) Wildcard qualifier Jenson Brooksby achieved a stunning upset with a score of 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(6) against top seed Tommy Paul during the semifinals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.
The 24-year-old American has now become the sixth player ranked outside the world’s Top 500 to reach a tour-level final since 1990, and he is the second qualifier to make it to the final since the tournament relocated to Houston in 2001. The first was Mariano Zabaleta, who reached the final in 2007 but lost to Ivo Karlovic, according to ATP Tour statistics.
Throughout the match, both players exchanged numerous breaks and led at different points in each of the three sets. Ultimately, Brooksby triumphed in this intense battle, saving a match point in the third set tie-break.
Both Paul and Brooksby faced challenging weather conditions that resulted in several interruptions during the match.
With this win, Brooksby handed Paul his first defeat against an American player in 2025 and marked his sixth consecutive victory since his first-round qualifying success last Saturday. Across his six matches, he has saved five match points and spent a total of 13 hours and 20 minutes on the court, as reported by the tournament.
Next, Brooksby is set to face No. 2 seed Frances Tiafoe, the reigning 2023 US Clay champion and 2024 finalist, in the final on Sunday.
If Brooksby clinches the trophy, he will become the lowest-ranked champion in US Clay history. He is projected to achieve a ranking of at least No. 220 for reaching the finals, which would halve his ranking after a week of six match victories.
Tiafoe advanced to the final by defeating No. 4 seed Brandon Nakashima with a score of 6-4, 7-6, marking his third consecutive appearance in the US Clay final. The 27-year-old has now won 10 of his last 11 matches at River Oaks and holds a lifetime record of 12-5 here, the highest wins of any active ATP player.
