Brooksby, Opelka Set for Houston Return

By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 5, 2026
Photo credit: Mark Kolbe/Getty

A pair of former Houston champions will return to River Oaks’ red clay.

Defending champion Jenson Brooksby and 2022 title holder Reilly Opelka are the latest players to commit to play the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.

Brooksby and Opelka will join past champions Ben Shelton (2024) and Frances Tiafoe (2023) as well as compatriots Tommy Paul, Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen for the only ATP Tour clay court event in North America.

The tournament is set for March 28-April 5 at River Oaks Country Club.

“We have so much to look forward to at this year’s tournament with our four most recent champions set to take the court and compete for another title at River Oaks,” said Tournament Director Bronwyn Greer. “The recent wintery weather certainly has us all dreaming of warm, sunny days, and this strong player field gives us a lot to look forward to as we get closer to spring.”

Here’s part of the tournament’s news release announcing the field:

Brooksby entered last season without a ranking, returning to action after an extended absence that included surgeries on both wrists. Just the second qualifier to win the US Clay title, his path to the trophy was improbable as he saved match points in three matches before capturing the first title of his career.

Later in the year, Brooksby reached the final in Eastbourne, the fourth of his career, and the semifinals in Tokyo. The 25-year-old Californian was named the 2021 ATP Newcomer of the Year. This will be his third appearance at River Oaks.

Opelka will return to River Oaks for the first time since defeating John Isner in the 2022 title match. The US Clay title is one of four he has won in his career from seven finals.

Injuries kept Opelka off the circuit for most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He returned in 2025, reaching the Brisbane final, the ‘s-Hertogenbosch semifinal and three other quarterfinals. This will be his fifth appearance at River Oaks.

Shelton will also be making his first appearance since winning the River Oaks title. He finished 2025 inside the Top 10 for the first time in his career. Last month he reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.

Tiafoe has played in the US Clay title match in each of the past three seasons. He has reached 10 finals in his career, winning three titles. Last season he advanced to the quarterfinals on clay at Roland Garros.

Tien made the quarterfinals at the Australian Open to open this season. The success comes after a strong finish to his 2025 campaign that included titles at the Next Gen ATP Finals and Metz along with a runner-up finish in Beijing.

In 2025, Michelsen reached three semifinals and four quarterfinals, including at River Oaks. On clay, he claimed the title at the Challenger in Estoril. He has reached three ATP finals during his career.

Paul had a strong start in 2025 before sitting out most of the latter half of the season with injury. He broke into the Top 10 for the first time after advancing to the quarterfinals at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros while also reaching the semifinals at three of his first six ATP events of the season.