Spectators packed Court 3 at the River Oaks Country Club long before play began, many intent on seeing Ben Shelton up close. One fan, soon-to-be college student Sophia Ellis, summed up the urgency. “I got here an hour early,” she said, “It’s so crazy to see him up close.” Trinity Rodman was among those in the crowd as well.

The 23-year-old’s combination of power, presence and personality has become a draw at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. Tournament director Bronwyn Greer, who has overseen this ATP 250 for more than a decade, tries to describe it: “It’s hard to put that into words,” she says. “He just, he has that mentality about him.”

Shelton paired doubles duty this week with former Florida Gators teammate Andres Andrade. “It’s cool to see people show up,” Shelton says about doubles. “I just enjoy the opportunity to have fun playing something that competitively I’m taking as seriously as singles, but probably having a little bit more fun out there.” He is already into the semifinals of doubles and begins his singles campaign on clay Wednesday night against Zhang Zhizhen.

On tour, Shelton has provided headline moments and close matches. Ranked fifth in the world last November, his season has included a run to the Australian Open quarterfinals, an ATP 500 title in Dallas in February and an 11-4 record through early events. He struggled in the March Masters swing, winning just one match across Indian Wells and Miami. He won this Houston title in 2024.

Peers and rivals take note. “When he’s on,” says Learner Tien, “it’s really tough to do anything.” Brandon Nakashima, who has played Shelton in 12 sets, notes the margins: “At this point,” says Nakashima, “given the head to head, it’s just a matter of trying something different out there, see what can disturb him from my side.” Frances Tiafoe put it bluntly: “He’s 12 years old, he’s Top 10 in the world.”

Greer sees the broader impact. “You gotta have them invested in somebody like Ben,” she says, and calls him “every 250 tournament’s dream.”

“I’m very much a week-to-week kind of guy,” Tommy Paul tells me, and for his sake, that’s a good thing.

Paul arrived in Houston after an exhausting Miami quarterfinal, where he held all 18 of his service games, won 115 points to his opponent’s 114 and fashioned four consecutive match points before falling, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6). The match lasted two hours and 49 minutes and produced no breaks of serve; the only break point for Arthur Fils was a match point at 5-6 in the third set.

“You’ve got to have amnesia,” said Frances Tiafoe, Paul’s practice partner. “Any week can kind of turn the page to then do something great.”

Paul skipped media in Miami but spoke about the match in Houston: “I mean, I think we both played pretty well. I think I put myself in a pretty good position there at the end of the match. Obviously, he started playing pretty aggressive when he got down a few match points. I think he kind of got the mindset of, ‘All right, back’s against the wall, I’m just gonna go for it now.’ And it worked out for him, and sometimes that’s how it goes.”

In the deciding tiebreak Paul led 6-2. Fils saved the first match point with a blistering backhand and converted defense into offense to save the second. Paul overcooked a forehand on a later match point, and an unreturned Fils serve swung momentum.

“I can’t blame myself too much,” reflected Paul. “I don’t think I played too many of the points, the match points, poorly, Just tennis, you know. It’s one of those sports that you only get a couple of opportunities sometimes, and sometimes you don’t do anything wrong.

“I mean, I got to sleep in my own bed that night, which is something that we don’t normally get. So I got that at least.”

Paul prefers to play the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship and stayed closer to home before his European swing. He grew up playing clay until he was 13 and recorded his first clay-court win at River Oaks. The 28-year-old reached the Roland Garros quarterfinals last year and won an Olympic bronze medal in doubles on clay.

Paul’s first match in Houston is against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, who beat Zachary Svajda 6-1, 6-4. “He’s going to be an unbelievable test,” said Vallejo of Paul. “I know he plays really good on clay.”

“I mean, I would love to finish a year back in the Top 10, where I got last year for a hot second. (Paul was inside the Top 10 for seven weeks during 2025, and as high as No. 8.) But I mean, to do that, you gotta win a lot of matches, you gotta win a lot of big matches.”

“Everyone has their goals for the year, but I’m very focused on this week right now,” says Paul. “And if I can do well this week, carrying momentum. ]

Mackenzie McDonald advanced past defending champion Jenson Brooksby in the first round of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, closing the match in straight sets after a late scare.

Brooksby saved his third match point on a net cord, a moment that recalled last year’s dramatic run when he saved five match points before lifting the trophy. McDonald, though, tightened his game when it mattered and finished the victory without needing an insurance break to seal the result.

McDonald was strong on return, winning 10 of 16 second-serve return points and converting three of five break points. Brooksby struggled with his consistency, striking 30 unforced errors and failing to convert any of his four break opportunities.

“I’ve practiced with him a lot—he’s the king of coming back from match points,” said McDonald. “He definitely has that reputation.” McDonald led 6-4, 5-2 when the match closed out, and he described the insurance break as helpful. “It was nice I had that insurance break,” said McDonald, but it was “pretty key” to close it out in straights.

Both players arrived at River Oaks seeking momentum. Brooksby, ranked 41st, began the day 4-7 on the season. McDonald, ranked 125th, entered the event 8-8 overall and 1-3 at tour level. Each is returning to competition after extended absences: Brooksby from a since-overturned suspension and McDonald from multiple injuries.

“I’ve had one good season…I’m not going to give up,” McDonald said after the victory. “That’s where you want to be, that’s where you want to play, that’s where the money’s at, points.” He has long maintained that availability matters. “If I’m healthy, I think I’m doing pretty good, because I think my results are gonna speak for myself.”

On a night when Brooksby could not find his best tennis, McDonald’s serve returns and timely breaks were decisive and sent him through to the next round.