Top-seeded Ben Shelton secured a spot in his first clay court quarterfinal on the ATP tour after a hard-fought victory over Zizou Bergs at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston. Shelton's triumph came in a three-set battle, with scores of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, setting up a quarterfinal clash against American Brandon Nakashima.
Reflecting on his win, Shelton expressed his joy at overcoming a challenging opponent, describing the match as a lengthy one. Despite the expectations that come with being the top seed, Shelton emphasized his focus on competition rather than external pressures, stating that he does not dwell on his seeding or check the draw extensively.
Nakashima, the reigning 2022 ATP Next Gen Finals champion, also advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Rinky Hijikata with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-4. The 22-year-old American has made significant strides in the ATP rankings, climbing from No. 134 at the beginning of the year to his current position at No. 87.
In a surprising upset during Wednesday's matches, Luciano Darderi caused a major upset by eliminating second-seeded Francisco Cerundolo in a closely contested encounter. Darderi, who clinched his maiden ATP Tour title at the Cordoba Open in February, displayed his prowess on the court by defeating Cerundolo with scores of 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4).
