Houston
Ben Shelton Makes a Splash in Houston with 21-Ace Performance
Leading American star advances to the quarter-finals
April 02, 2026
Image Credit: Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images
Ben Shelton storms into the quarter-finals in Houston.
By ATP Staff
In a thrilling opening match of the clay-court season, top seed Ben Shelton showcased his potential by defeating China’s Zhang Zhizhen with a score of 7-6(5), 7-6(3) at the prestigious Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.
“Competing on clay for the first time in nearly a year is a big deal for me,” said Shelton, who clocked in an impressive 21 aces. “I wasn’t entirely at ease playing from the baseline, but I know it will take time and more matches to adjust. My serve had to be my weapon tonight, so I’m thrilled with how it worked out.”
Throughout the intense one-hour, 53-minute clash, neither player managed to break serve. Shelton made a remarkable comeback, rallying from a 2/5 deficit in the first-set tie-break to seize the opening set.
Having claimed the Houston title in 2024, Shelton is back on clay after reaching the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last June. Following a challenging March where he finished 1-2 at Indian Wells and Miami, he aims to improve his standings, looking to overtake Taylor Fritz as the top American in the upcoming PIF ATP Rankings.
At just 23 years old, Shelton has leveled his Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup against Zhang to 2-1; Zhang previously triumphed over him at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome two years ago.
Next up for Shelton in the quarter-finals is Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante, who advanced after dominating Mackenzie McDonald with a 6-2, 6-0 victory. Another Argentine, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, also moved forward, defeating Alex Bolt 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-3.
