Argentina 2, USA 1: Paul Advances as Shelton and Tien Fall in Houston Quarterfinals

Two Argentinians spoiled hopes for an all-American quartet in the semifinals at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship as Thiago Augustin Tirante took out top-seeded Ben Shelton and Roman Burrachaga toppled third-seeded Learner Tien in the first two quarterfinals at the River Oaks Country Club on Friday.

Burrachaga reached his first career semifinal, 7-5, 6-4 over 20-year-old Tien, while Tirante outlasted Shelton, the 2024 Houston champion, 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4.

It was Tirante’s second Top 10 win and he reaches his second ATP semifinal.

The two remaining Argentinians will face each other in the semifinals on Saturday, with both bidding for a maiden ATP final appearance.

Fourth-seeded Tommy Paul got the Americans on the board with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Paul saved all four break points he faced and converted three of four opportunities to create distance between himself and the No. 6 seed. He saved a break point serving at 4-4 in the opening set, then went on to break for the set in the next game.

He claimed the final four sets of the match to close out his victory in 97 minutes.

“Completely different match today than it was a couple of weeks ago,” Paul said, after defeating Etcheverry for the second time in two events (he took out the 26-year-old 6-1 6-3 in the round of 16 at Miami last week. “He’s a good player all around, but especially on clay, he’s very tricky, he’s already won some big tournaments this year on clay. I knew I had to prepare well and I knew I had to bring my best game. Today he had a lot of looks on break points and stuff, but I think that was one of my best matches here in Houston.”

Paul, a semifinalist in Houston last year, improves to 17-7 on the season, and 2-0 against Etcheverry.

“We needed that one,” Paul said of the trio of USA vs Argentina matchups on Friday. “They got the first two matches, and while we were warming up we were saying, we need this one for the USA.”

Paul will meet the winner of Friday’s final quarterfinal, between second-seeded Frances Tiafoe and Alexei Popyrin.