Ben Shelton makes his 2026 clay-court debut on Wednesday when he faces China’s Zhizhen Zhang in the second round of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.
Shelton is the top seed at the River Oaks Country Club event, which runs through April 5 with $700,045 in prize money. 10sballs The American is bidding to defend the title he won at the same venue in 2024 and arrives as the form player in the field after winning the Dallas hard-court ATP 500 in February.
Shelton carries an 11-4 win-loss record into the tournament, though this will be his first clay-court match of the year.
Frances Tiafoe, Learner Tien and Tommy Paul complete the top four seeds, giving the event an all-American feel at the top of the draw. Tennis.com Defending champion Jenson Brooksby, Brandon Nakashima and Mackenzie McDonald are also in the field in what shapes as the strongest American contingent at the event in years.
The Houston tournament provides a unique opportunity for American players to remain stateside before the overseas journey to Europe, where the clay season stretches over two months through stops in Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome and Paris. Tennis.com Quarter-finals are scheduled for Friday, with the final on Sunday afternoon.
