By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday April 3, 2025

For the first time in 34 years, eight Americans have reached the quarterfinals of an ATP event.

Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen, Christopher Eubanks and Brandon Nakashima made the cut on Thursday, setting an all-American last eight that is sure to be a crowd players at the US Mens Clay Court in Houston.



Tiafoe defeated Australia’s Adam Walton 7-5, 6-3 to set a clash with Michelsen on Friday. The second-seeded American, the 2023 champion and 2024 runner-up, felt good about his first match on the clay in 2025.



“I felt like I really played every single point, I felt super dialled in,” Tiafoe said on court after improving to 11-5 lifetime at Houston. . “I was in the zone, so to speak. I don’t think I played my best tennis, but I thought it was a good match overall.”

Tiafoe hugged the baseline and cracked 35 winners against 21 unforced errors, while Walton was only able to produce 14 winners against his 21 unforced errors. The 27-year-old has had a rough start to the season – he improved to 7-6 overall on the year with today’s win.

In other action, fourth-seeded Nakashima got past Mackenzie McDonald, 6-1, 7-5, while fifth-seeded Michelsen stopped France’s Adrian Mannarino, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Eubanks advanced when Kei Nishikori retired due to injury while trailing 6-1, 0-0 RET.