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TOURNAMENT RESULTS

{{tournament.sponsortitle}}, player results, atp challenger tour: five moments to remember from 2022.

The ATP Challenger Tour held no shortage of historic moments this season. From crowning champions who went on to showcase their talent at the season’s most prestigious events, to Argentina’s record-setting 23 titles, or Li Tu’s emotional victory in Seoul.

As the 2023 season approaches, ATPTour.com reviews five memorable moments from the ATP Challenger Tour this year.

ATP Tour and Challenger Tour Champions Six players, including Borna Coric and Holger Rune, claimed titles on the Challenger Tour and at a Tour-level tournament.

Coric, who won the Parma Challenger in June, upset three Top-10 players en route to winning the title in Cincinnati to become the first player since 1993 to win a Challenger and an ATP Masters 1000 title in the same season. And then it was the Danish teen’s turn in Bercy.

Rune, 19, claimed the Sanremo Challenger in April before rising to three Tour-level titles, including the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris.

Four other men were also crowned champions at both levels: Yoshihito Nishioka, Marc-Andrea Huesler, Francisco Cerundolo, and Lorenzo Musetti.

Argentina’s Record-Setting 23 Titles Heading into this season, the previous record for most Challengers by a single country in a season, 20, had been reached four times (France in 2005, Argentina in 2007, 2016, 2021). After tying the record for a third time in 2021, Argentine players set their sights on attempting to stand alone at the top of the Challenger Tour record books. After breaking the record in late October, Argentine players added two more trophies and finished with 23 Challenger titles in 2022.

Pedro Cachin, 27, held a season-leading four Challenger titles (tied w/ Jack Draper) and was the only Argentine who captured more than two titles this season. Cachin, World No. 57, won titles in Madrid, Prague, Todi, and Santo Domingo.

“Most Challenger titles in a year is incredible.” Cachin said. “It's amazing to have such an opportunity for all the players to be a part of something special like that. It is not easy for our players to travel the world, going very far from home, but to have this achievement makes it all worth it.

“Especially for the younger guys, to see that Argentina has the ability and potential to win many titles. Hopefully this will increase the enthusiasm of players from Argentina to play this great sport. For us, it is a privilege to be a part of this great moment. The guys have worked hard and their talent is now showing.”

Li Tu Dedicates Challenger Title To His Late Mother The Australian’s journey to the ATP Challenger Tour has been a unique trek. In 2014, Tu was finding success at the junior level, but the-then 18-year-old decided to put his racquets away to pursue a college degree and a coaching business, resulting in a six-year hiatus from professional tennis.

If it wasn’t for Tu’s close friend having a heart-to-heart conversation with him two years ago, he may have never returned to professional tennis and enjoyed the success he’s found this year.

After suffering the loss of his mother in September, Tu travelled to South Korea the day after her funeral. Little did he know what the Korean Challenger swing had in store for him.

At the Seoul Challenger, which was Tu’s seventh Challenger appearance, the 26-year-old advanced through qualifying en route to his maiden title. Tu dedicated the victory to his mother, who would’ve celebrated her birthday the day after his title.

Shang Juncheng Rescues Ballkid The Chinese teen and American Stefan Dostanic were locked in a three-set battle in scorching temperatures in the American state of Kentucky when Shang noticed a ballkid, Atharva Dang, in distress.

After asking Atharva if he was okay, Shang exclaimed, “He’s going to faint!” Immediately, Shang set his racquet down and assisted the overheated boy, lifting him into his arms and rushing him behind the umpire’s chair and out of the direct sunlight. After setting him down in the shade, Shang gave a bottle of water to Atharva and placed an ice-pack behind his head.

The day after that moment of sportsmanship, Shang and the ballkid reunited for a picture. While Dang competed in a local tournament that weekend, the Beijing native was crowned champion at the Lexington Challenger. Shang became the youngest player to win a Challenger title since Carlos Alcaraz at Alicante in 2020 and the youngest Chinese champion in Challenger Tour history.

Shelbayh Secures History At the Rafa Nadal Open by Sotheby’s, 18-year-old Abdullah Shelbayh became the first player from Jordan to win a match in ATP Challenger Tour history.

“It’s surreal,” Shelbayh said following his victory over top-seeded Dominic Stricker. “To do something for your country is a big achievement. I come from a small country where tennis is not a big sport and to do that, it means a lot to me to be in the history of my country. I actually never thought about that entering the match, but it feels amazing. I hope many players from Jordan show their talent in the near future and I can inspire them as much as possible.”

Although his first Challenger win came far from his Jordan home, it was only fitting it came at the Rafa Nadal Academy, where Shelbayh has trained since he was 14-years-old.

The Academy graduate was a semi-finalist at the Mallorca Challenger, where he lost to Zizou Bergs.

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A few more points? - The Challenger Tour 2022 is still running!

A few important world ranking points are still being played out for both the women and the men - even if they are no longer at the highest levels.

by Stefan Bergmann last edit: Nov 29, 2022, 06:05 pm

Yes, the finals events for men (Turin) and women (Fort Worth) have been beaten, the team competitions Davis and Billie Jean King Cup for 2022 have also been decided. However, professional tennis continues to be played, albeit on a smaller scale at ATP and WTA Challenger events and on the ITF men's and women's tours.

Well, the ATP Challenger Tour will be finished next Sunday, but until then some players will still be playing the 80s events in Maia, Portugal, and Maspalomas in Spain. While on the west coast of Portugal the game is played indoors on sand, the temperatures of almost 20 degrees on Gran Canaria even allow an open-air sand court tournament.

Rodionov and Neumayer still in the running

And players from German-speaking countries are also (were) represented at both events: On the Canary Islands, lucky loser Rudi Molleker failed conceivably in the tie-break of the third set by Italian Gian Marco Moroni, while in the round of 16 Timo Stodder (7: 6 [2 ], 6:7 [8], 6:1 over the Ukrainian Eric Vanshelboim) and the Austrian Lukas Neumayer (6:1, 6:3 against the Serb Miljan Zekic, ranked eighth).

In Maia, the Austrian Jurij Rodionov, ranked second, is in the second round after a 6:4, 6:3 win over the Czech Zdenek Kolar, the German Louis Wessels had 2:6, 7:6 (4), 1 :6 losing to fifth-seeded Australian Aleksandar Vukic. Viennese qualifier Max Neuchrist has his opening game tomorrow against wildcard local hero Joao Domingues.

Maria and Lisicki in Andorra

For women, WTA 125 Challenger tournaments continue for much longer. Yellow felt balls are currently being shot across the pitch in small Andorra. Comebacker Sabine Lisicki solved her opening task in the person of Sara Errani (Italy/6) with 7: 5, 6: 3, Wimbledon semi-finalist Tatjana Maria meets local hero Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva on Wednesday.

It then continues with two events in France: Angers will be played from December 5th to 11th, the indoor hard court event in Limoges will then also be the final conclusion at women's challenger level.

Here the single tableau from Maia.

Here the single tableau from Maspalomas.

Here the single tableau from Andorra.

by Stefan Bergmann

Tuesday Nov 29, 2022, 07:03 pm last edit: Nov 29, 2022, 06:05 pm

The ATP Challenger Tour: Path to the Big Time

• Last updated on May 2, 2023

Established in 1978, the Challenger circuit has grown into an important stepping stone for young tennis players looking to make it to the highest levels of the sport. 

History of the Challenger Tour

The Challenger circuit was established as a way to provide a professional level of competition for tennis players who weren’t yet ready to compete on the main tour. The circuit initially consisted of just five tournaments in the United States, but quickly grew in popularity and spread around the world.

By the mid-1980s, the Challengers had become an important part of the tennis landscape, with dozens of tournaments held each year. In 1986, the ATP officially recognized the circuit and began awarding ranking points to players based on their performances.

Since then, the circuit has continued to grow in popularity and importance, with the number of tournaments held annually growing steadily year by year. In 2008 there were 178 events played across 40 different countries. 

And although numbers have occasionally diminished, for example in the first quarter of 2013 and an inevitable dip due to Covid-19, they’ve since bounced back with 184 events taking place in 2022 and a record 190 plus planned for 2023.

Format of the Challenger Circuit

Challenger tournaments are generally smaller than those on the ATP World Tour, with most events featuring a draw of 32 or 64 players.

The format of the tournaments is similar to that of other professional tennis events, with players competing in singles and doubles matches. The matches are generally played over three sets, although some tournaments may have different rules depending on the surface and location of the event.

The winner of a Challenger event typically earns around 80 ranking points and a prize purse of between $50,000 and $125,000. By contrast, the winner of an ATP Tour event can earn upwards of 1,000 ranking points and a prize purse of more than $1 million.

However in 2023 the ATP launched a new tier of Challengers known as Challenger 175s in which, as the name suggests, the winner can earn 175 points along with prize money of $220,000. 

Importance of the ATP Challenger Circuit

For young, ambitious players, the Challenger circuit is vital. It provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience playing against other pros, while also earning vital ranking points and prize money.

Many of the world’s top players have competed in Challenger events at some point in their careers. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray all spent time on the Challenger circuit before making it to the main tour. In fact, Nadal won his first professional title at a Challenger event in 2002, Djokovic in 2004.

The circuit is also an important way for players to gain exposure and build their profiles in the tennis world. While it may not have the same level of media coverage as the ATP Tour, it provides a platform for players to showcase their talents and gain recognition from fans and sponsors.

In addition to helping young players make their way up the rankings, the Challenger circuit also plays an important role in the overall development of the sport. By providing a professional level of competition for players who are not yet ready for the ATP Tour, the circuit helps to ensure a strong pipeline of talent coming up through the ranks.

Challenger Challenges

Despite its importance, the circuit faces numerous challenges in the modern era. One of the biggest is the high cost of hosting events, which can run up to $200,000 when accounting for prize money, player accommodations, and other expenses. With smaller prize pools and less visibility than ATP Tour events, hosting organizations may struggle to justify the expense of hosting a Challenger tournament.

Another issue is the emergence of alternative tours and circuits, such as the ITF World Tennis Tour and the PTPA Challenger-style circuit. These tours provide players with additional options for competing at the professional level, which may lead some players to prioritize these events over Challenger tournaments.

The Challenger Circuit has been criticized for being financially unsustainable for players who are not in the top 100. The prize money on offer at Challenger tournaments is significantly less than that on the ATP Tour, and the costs associated with travelling to tournaments and paying for accommodation can make it difficult for players to make a living on the Challenger Circuit.

Rising to the Challenge

If you get the opportunity, the Challenger circuit is a great way to get to see up and coming stars before they hit the big time – and the occasional wizened pro. Keep an eye out right here for info on individual tournaments and if you’re looking to start your own path to the Challengers check out our round up of the best tennis rackets for beginners .

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2023 atp challenger tour: by the numbers.

• December 5, 2023
• Damian Kust

The ATP Challenger Tour broke all the records in its 46th season, totaling 196 events while increasing the prize money and amount of points on offer. Before we head to the short Challenger Tour break, here are a bunch of stats and facts about what took place in 2023. Feel free to check out the previous editions of this piece about the years –  2022 , 2021 , 2020 , and 2019 .

Tournaments by surface

• 97 – Clay (including two indoor events in Szekesfehervar and Maia)
• 63 – Outdoor hard
• 32 – Indoor hard
• 3 – Grass
• 1 – Carpet

One of the main goals of the ATP for 2023 was the optimization of the Challenger calendar, which presents itself in a more even spread of tournaments on clay and hard. In 2022, 58% of ATP Challenger Tour events were held on clay, a figure that is down to 49% now. Grass remains on tour with the UK Swing of Surbiton/Nottingham/Ilkley, while Ismaning is still the only carpet Challenger left. Szekesfehervar joined Maia as the 2nd indoor clay venue. What’s especially striking is the number of outdoor hard court tournaments going up by 20 compared to 2022.

Number of events per country

• 23 – Italy
• 22 – United States
• 16 – France

Italy retains its spot at the top of this leaderboard, although the United States actually had two more events scheduled which were canceled (Columbus, Las Vegas). It’s the same top 3 and same order as in 2022, despite Italy going down from 28 to 23 tournaments held.

Titles won per country (singles)

• 27 – France
• 21 – Argentina
• 17 – Italy, United States
• 13 – Australia

The previous record stood at 23 (Argentina 2022) and was blown to pieces by France this year with 19 different champions (27-24 in finals). It was a very solid campaign for Australia, the only country with a double-digit number in 2023 that didn’t get there in 2022.

Most titles won (singles)

• 5 – Mariano Navone
• 4 – Facundo Diaz Acosta, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Thiago Seyboth Wild, Alejandro Tabilo
• 3 – Matteo Arnaldi, Zizou Bergs, Nuno Borges, Constant Lestienne, Hamad Medjedovic, Andy Murray, Max Purcell, Zachary Svajda

Mariano Navone had a chance to post at least 6 titles as the 7th player in history, but lost his 6th final after going unbeaten in the first 5 (the record belongs to Tallon Griekspoor, who won 8 in 2021 ). Andy Murray clinching 3 titles was quite a big narrative with the former World No. 1 returning to the winners’ circle on the Challenger Tour after almost 18 years.

Most titles won (doubles)

• 8 – Dan Added, Evan King
• 7 – Hendrik Jebens, Andrew Paulson, Reese Stalder
• 6 – Guido Andreozzi, Victor Vlad Cornea, Constantin Frantzen, Petr Nouza

Evan King/Reese Stalder were the leaders in titles as a pair, winning 7 of them (King added one with Brandon Nakashima). Dan Added clinched 4 trophies with Albano Olivetti and 1 each with four other Frenchmen.

Most match wins (singles)

• 45 – Francisco Comesana
• 44 – Facundo Diaz Acosta
• 42 – Luciano Darderi
• 41 – James Duckworth, Alejandro Tabilo
• 40 – Flavio Cobolli, Mariano Navone

Francisco Comesana tops the list after losing his last 8 Challenger matches in 2022, largely thanks to a streak of 9 consecutive quarterfinals. Antoine Escoffier, at 38 wins, was the player with the highest amount of match victories who missed out on a title (one final in Segovia, seven semifinal appearances). All the players at 40+ but James Duckworth posted personal-best figures with the Australian previously scoring 49 Challenger Tour wins in 2019.

Best win percentage (minimum 15 matches played)

• 94% – Andy Murray (15-1)
• 88% – Ugo Humbert (14-2)
• 84% – Jordan Thompson (16-3)
• 83% – Max Purcell (34-7)
• 81% – Jack Draper (13-3), Thiago Seyboth Wild (38-9)

Andy Murray took 3 titles in Aix-en-Provence, Surbiton, and Nottingham, also suffering a 3-6 0-6 loss to Stan Wawrinka in the meantime. Other than claiming two Challenger 175 trophies in Cagliari and Bordeaux, Ugo Humbert also lost a historic final to Luca Van Assche in Pau (will be mentioned later in the article) and exited Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve in the opening round against Gauthier Onclin. Max Purcell and Thiago Seyboth Wild deserve a lot of credit for staying at over 80% despite 40+ matches played.

ATP Top 50 Singles Ranking Participation (Challenger 175 category excluded)

• 25 – Daniel Evans – Surbiton – Second round (lost to Gabriel Diallo)
• 40 – Roberto Bautista Agut – Second round (lost to Billy Harris)
• 41 – Jiri Lehecka – Prostejov – Quarterfinal (lost to Lukas Klein)
• 43 – Andy Murray – Surbiton – Champion
• 43 – Andy Murray – Nottingham – Champion
• 47 – Marc-Andrea Huesler – Mexico City – Second round (lost to Federico Gaio)
• 47 – Adrian Mannarino – Oeiras – Second round (lost to Kimmer Coppejans)
• 50 – David Goffin – Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – Champion

Besides the new Challenger 175 category (more on that later in the article), players ranked between 11-50 can only enter a Challenger Tour event with a wildcard pre-approved by the ATP. Daniel Evans and Andy Murray usually play a grass Challenger or two, and Jiri Lehecka and David Goffin appeared at events in their home countries. Marc-Andrea Huesler was trying to defend his title from 2022, while Roberto Bautista Agut chose Malaga as his first tournament after an injury. Adrian Mannarino made an interesting call of playing a Challenger on a surface that doesn’t suit his game at all, assuming he gets more playtime than in any of the main tour events that week.

Finals Between Top Seeds (singles)

• (2) Rinky Hijikata over (1) James Duckworth in Burnie
• (2) Fabian Marozsan over (1) Sebastian Ofner in Antalya
• (2) Matteo Arnaldi over (1) Borna Gojo in Murcia
• (2) Alexander Shevchenko over (1) Pedro Cachin in Madrid
• (1) Tomas Barrios Vera over (2) Alejandro Tabilo in Florianopolis
• (2) Steve Johnson over (1) Arthur Cazaux in Lexington
• (1) Christopher O’Connell over (2) Yosuke Watanuki in Shanghai

Qualifier Champions

• Joris De Loore – Oeiras (1)
• Arthur Cazaux – Nonthaburi (2)
• Dominik Koepfer – Mexico City
• Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard – Leon
• Sumit Nagal – Rome
• Mate Valkusz – Skopje
• Sho Shimabukuro – Tunis
• Vitaliy Sachko – Bratislava
• Manuel Guinard – Troyes
• Duje Ajdukovic – Luedenscheid
• Oriol Roca Batalla – Braga
• Ugo Blanchet – Malaga
• Kyrian Jacquet – Olbia
• Lukas Klein – Ortisei
• Antoine Bellier – Ismaning
• Alejandro Tabilo – Brasilia

Lukas Klein was actually the highest-ranked player in the Ortisei field, but couldn’t sign up for the main draw as he was still in the top 150 at the time of the main draw cut-off (Challenger 50 eligibility rules). Alejandro Tabilo was a late sign-up for Brasilia and was the third-highest-ranked player in the field.

Wildcard Champions (singles)

• David Goffin (Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve)
• Aleksandar Kovacevic (Waco)
• Andy Murray (Aix-en-Provence)
• Jakub Mensik (Prague)
• Andy Murray (Surbiton)
• Andy Murray (Nottingham)
• Kei Nishikori (Palmas del Mar)
• Liam Draxl (Calgary)

David Goffin and Andy Murray (twice) needed the wildcards to get into the events as they were in the top 50 at the time and couldn’t enter them directly. That doesn’t count for Murray’s Aix-en-Provence run (top 50 players are allowed in at Challenger 175 events), but he and Aleksandar Kovacevic in Waco were still seeded at their respective events. Jakub Mensik, Kei Nishikori, and Liam Draxl were, if you may, proper wildcards ranked much lower than the other players in the tournament (more on the former World No.4’s run later)

Lucky Loser Champions

• Matteo Gigante – Tenerife (3)

Matteo Gigante lost to Giovanni Fonio 4-6 4-6 in the final qualifying round, but was fortunate to receive a second chance. But that’s as far as luck can take you, then you actually have to put in the work yourself. Gigante made full use of this opportunity and scored a key win over Bonadio 5-7 7-6 6-3 in the semifinals (despite having to play twice that day), before defeating Travaglia 6-3 6-2 for his maiden Challenger Tour title. He also became the first lucky loser champion at this level since Tommy Paul in Charlottesville in 2018.

Special Exempt Champions

• Thiago Seyboth Wild (Vina del Mar)
• Zsombor Piros (Oeiras)
• Hugo Gaston (Trieste)

To become a special exempt at a Challenger Tour event, you have to be competing at another event of this circuit by the time qualifying starts and therefore be unable to participate in it. In most cases, that simply means if you’re in the final of a Challenger that’s held on Sunday, you can seek a special exempt spot for next week. Thiago Seyboth Wild, Zsombor Piros, and Hugo Gaston all pulled this off by picking up back-to-back titles.

Longest super tie-breaker – 17-15

It was a high-profile quarterfinal in Bratislava as Andrey Golubev and Denys Molchanov defeated Ivan Liutarevich and Vladyslav Manafov 6-7 7-6 17-15. They first allowed their opponents to make it back from 5-9 down, then saved four match points of their own before eventually clinching the win on the 7th opportunity. Golubev/Molchanov went on to reach the final.

Double bagels (main draw only)

• Stefano Travaglia over Oscar Jose Guttierez – Tenerife (3) R2
• Seong-Chan Hong over Zachary Svajda –  Sarasota R1
• Jesper de Jong over Jelle Sels – Roseto degli Abruzzi R2
• Nick Hardt/Naoki Nakagawa over Jaime Prohens Munoz/Guillermo Rojas Pedron – Coquimbo R1
• Andrew Paulson/Michael Vrbensky over Juan Pablo Paz/Dan Alexandru Tomescu – Sibiu R1
• Tristan Lamasine over Manuel Guinard – Hamburg R1

Shenzhen (2) almost got a double bagel final, but Coleman Wong saved three match points from 0-6 0-5 0-40 down against James Duckworth. This list doesn’t include virtual double bagels (you win twelve games in a row, but the match scoreline is not 6-0 6-0) and it’s worth noting that Seong-Chan Hong also had that in his repertoire (3-6 6-0 6-0 win over Zsombor Piros in Troisdorf).

New category introduced – 175

Five Challenger 175 events (Phoenix, Aix-en-Provence, Cagliari, Bordeaux, Turin) were held in the second weeks of extended ATP 1000s (Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome). Players ranked in the top 10 still aren’t eligible to enter these, but those ranked between 11 and 50 are free to compete. It all led to some massive storylines like Andy Murray beating World No. 17 Tommy Paul in the Aix-en-Provence final or Ugo Humbert picking up two of these trophies. Things have never been bigger on the ATP Challenger Tour.

First unranked champion ever – Kei Nishikori

In 2021, Dominic Stricker won Lugano while ranked World No. 874, becoming the lowest-ranked Challenger champion. Guido Andreozzi beat him by 27 spots (World No. 901) in the last week of the 2022 Challenger season in Temuco. But Kei Nishikori made this record unbeatable with his Palmas del Mar run in 2023, grabbing a title right away after 19 months of inactivity.

Longest final ever – Luca Van Assche over Ugo Humbert in Pau, 3 hours and 56 minutes

Beating the previous record by 25 minutes? That’s huge. Somdev Devvarman and Daniel Nguyen were competing for the Winnetka title in 2015 for 3 hours and 31 minutes, which was equaled by Genaro Alberto Olivieri and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Montevideo in 2022. But Luca Van Assche beating Ugo Humbert took that stat to 3 hours and 56 minutes , a record that might be extremely tough to surpass.

First final between former top 10 players in 17 years – Fabio Fognini over Roberto Bautista Agut

Fabio Fognini against Roberto Bautista Agut in a Challenger final ? Pretty crazy, especially considering that before this season, neither had even competed at an event at this level in about 10 years. It was the fifth-ever final between two former top 10 players, with three of them coming way back in 1981-82 and Guillermo Canas (who was returning from a doping ban) defeating Nicolas Lapentti in Montevideo in 2006. Fognini and Bautista Agut actually delivered one of the best matches of the year, too, the Italian saving two match points to take it 3-6 7-6 7-6.

Three titles in three weeks – Max Purcell

For the third straight year, a player managed to claim three titles in three consecutive weeks (Benjamin Bonzi and Tallon Griekspoor did it in 2021, Ben Shelton in 2022). Already an elite doubles player, Max Purcell decided to focus more on singles in 2023 and earned the instant reward by going 15-0 in the Indian Swing (Chennai/Bangalore/Pune). During that run, he saved two match points against Nicolas Moreno de Alboran in the Chennai final.

Won an ATP Tour and an ATP Challenger Tour title in the same year

• Roberto Carballes Baena (Marrakech ATP 250/Seville Challenger)
• Arthur Fils (Lyon ATP 250/Oeiras (2) Challenger)
• Ugo Humbert (Metz ATP 250/Cagliari and Bordeaux Challengers)

Ugo Humbert went 14-2 on the Challenger Tour, grabbing another final and one first-round exit. By winning that title on the main circuit in the last week of the regular season, he finished the year in the top 20. Fils had an 11-4 Challenger record and lost his last match at this level to Humbert in Bordeaux, just before picking up the trophy in Lyon. Carballes Baena played five Challengers in 2023, winning the title in Seville and losing in the opening round at the other four events!

Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA TODAY Sports

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Houston 2024 Day 5: Men's singles predictions ft. Ben Shelton vs Brandon Nakashima | U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships

Day 5 of the 2024 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships will see the players battling it out in the quarterfinals.

All four singles matches feature at least one player from the host country, so an all-American semifinal line-up is quite possible. Top seed Ben Shelton will be keen to improve his record on clay, while defending champion Frances Tiafoe will aim to overturn a rather underwhelming year so far.

Luciano Darderi is the latest Italian making waves on the men's tour. The 22-year old has impressed with his results so far, especially on clay. He'll be eager to continue his upward ascent with another good showing.

Here's a look at the predictions for all the singles ties lined up for Day 5 of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships:

#1 - Ben Shelton vs Brandon Nakashima

Shelton staged a comeback to beat Zizou Bergs 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round here and score his third career win on clay. Nakashima ousted Duje Adjukovic and Rinky Hijikata with idential scorelines of 6-1, 6-4 to reach his first quarterfinal since May 2023.

While the two are just a year apart in age, Shelton has eclipsed Nakashima with his achievements despite a late start. The latter has spent more time on the Challenger circuit this year than the ATP Tour.

Nakashima 's 4-12 record against top 20 players isn't too promising. However, he has won his last two matches against them. He also has a bit more experience on clay compared to Shelton, who's still finding his bearings on the surface.

Shelton hasn't won back-to-back matches on clay in his career. While recent results back him as the favorite, he's a still vulnerable on the red dirt. Nakashima could manage to pull off an upset here if he plays his cards right.

Predicted winner : Ben Shelton

#2 - Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Michael Mmoh

Etcheverry downed Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. He was slightly under the weather during the match and even threw up before serving for the match.

Mmoh defeated Juan Pablo Varillas 6-2, 7-6 (4) in his opener and then eliminated eighth seed Max Purcell as he beat him 6-2, 7-5. He has now made it to the last eight here for the second time in his career.

This is Etcheverry's third quarterfinal on clay this year, having reached this stage in Cordoba and Buenos Aires back in February. He was the runner-up in Houston last year as well. Unless he's still feeling the effects of whatever bothered him in the previous round, he should be able to move past Mmoh with ease.

Predicted winner : Tomas Martin Etcheverry

#3 - Marcos Giron vs Luciano Darderi

Giron scored straight-set wins over Denis Shapovalov and J.J. Wolf to advance to the quarterfinals. Darderi, on the other hand, has been pushed to the limit in both of his matches at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.

Darderi fought back from a set down to defeat Denis Kudla 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 in the first round. He then survived another three-set tussle to knock out second seed Francisco Cerundolo.

Darderi earlier nabbed his maiden ATP title at the Cordoba Open and reached the quarterfinals of the Chile Open, both claycourt tournaments. Giron , despite competing on the tour for years now, has never reached a semifinal on clay. The young Italian will be expected to continue his breakout season with a win over the American.

Predicted winner : Luciano Darderi

#4 - Frances Tiafoe vs Jordan Thompson

Tiafoe commenced his title defence with a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-5 win over James Duckworth to move into the quarterfinals. Thompson overcame Aleksander Kovacevic 4-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (7) to move into the last eight.

The Australian saved three match points in a contest that lasted for more than three hours and finished after midnight. Tiafoe and Thompson have faced off twice before but both of those matches took place in 2019.

Tiafoe won their first duel at the Mexican Open in three sets and Thompson avenged that loss at the Libema Open with a staight sets victory. This will be their first encounter on clay.

After his second round exit from the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in 2022, Thompson lost all of his matches on clay until this week. Houston has proven to be a special place for him in that regard.

However, Thompson's late night marathon match could put him at a disadvantage against Tiafoe. The American has also performed relatively better on clay, so the contest tilts in his favor.

Predicted winner : Frances Tiafoe