Brooksby and Opelka to Return to River Oaks

Picture credit score: San Diego Open Fb

A pair of former event winners – defending champion Jenson Brooksby and 2022 victor Reilly Opelka – are the most recent gamers to decide to play the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Males’s Clay Court docket Championship.

Brooksby and Opelka will be part of fellow previous champions Ben Shelton (2024) and Frances Tiafoe (2023) in addition to compatriots Tommy Paul, Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen for the one ATP Tour clay courtroom occasion in North America, which shall be held March 28-April 5 at River Oaks Nation Membership.

“We’ve got a lot to look ahead to at this 12 months’s event with our 4 most up-to-date champions set to take the courtroom and compete for one more title at River Oaks,” mentioned Match Director Bronwyn Greer. “The latest wintery climate definitely has us all dreaming of heat, sunny days, and this robust participant area offers us so much to look ahead to as we get nearer to spring.”

Brooksby entered final season with no rating, returning to motion after an prolonged absence that included surgical procedures on each wrists. Simply the second qualifier to win the US Clay title, his path to the trophy was inconceivable as he saved match factors in three matches earlier than capturing the primary title of his profession.

Later within the 12 months, Brooksby reached the ultimate in Eastbourne, the fourth of his profession, and the semifinals in Tokyo. The 25-year-old Californian was named the 2021 ATP Newcomer of the Yr. This shall be his third look at River Oaks.

Opelka will return to River Oaks for the primary time since defeating John Isner within the 2022 title match. The US Clay title is one in every of 4 he has received in his profession from seven finals.

Accidents saved Opelka off the circuit for a lot of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He returned in 2025, reaching the Brisbane ultimate, the ‘s-Hertogenbosch semifinal and three different quarterfinals. This shall be his fifth look at River Oaks.

Shelton will even be making his first look since successful the River Oaks title. He completed 2025 contained in the High 10 for the primary time in his profession. Final month he reached the quarterfinals on the Australian Open.

Tiafoe has performed within the US Clay title match in every of the previous three seasons. He has reached 10 finals in his profession, successful three titles. Final season he superior to the quarterfinals on clay at Roland Garros.

Tien made the quarterfinals on the Australian Open to open this season. The success comes after a powerful end to his 2025 marketing campaign that included titles on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals and Metz together with a runner-up end in Beijing.

In 2025, Michelsen reached three semifinals and 4 quarterfinals, together with at River Oaks. On clay, he claimed the title on the Challenger in Estoril. He has reached three ATP finals throughout his profession.

Paul had a powerful begin in 2025 earlier than sitting out a lot of the latter half of the season with damage. He broke into the High 10 for the primary time after advancing to the quarterfinals at each the Australian Open and Roland Garros whereas additionally reaching the semifinals at three of his first six ATP occasions of the season.

The preliminary participant entry record for the 2026 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Males’s Clay Court docket Championship shall be launched in early March. This 12 months’s event will function qualifying play on Stadium Court docket over opening weekend, March 28-29, and can conclude with the singles and doubles finals on Sunday, April 5.