Tiafoe vs. Michelsen, Kovacevic vs. Brooksby

For the first time since 1991, all eight quarterfinalists at an ATP tournament are Americans. Two of the all-American showdowns on quarterfinal Friday are Frances Tiafoe vs. Alex Michelsen and Aleksandar Kovacevic vs. Jenson Brooksby.

(5) Alex Michelsen vs. (2) Frances Tiafoe

Of the eight American quarterfinalists at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, only three are seeded: Tiafoe, Michelsen, and No. 1 Tommy Paul. Tiafoe did not have to work overly hard to secure a spot in the last eight, as he got a bye and then beat Adam Walton 7-5, 6-3. The world No. 17 could really use a big week considering he is just 7-6 this season and in the relatively near future will have a massive chunk of his points to defend in Cincinnati and at the U.S. Open.

Tiafoe and Michelsen will be facing each other for the second time on Friday, with the 27-year-old having won their only previous encounter 6-4, 6-3 on the indoor hard courts of Dallas in 2024. There is not much to take from that result given the surface change and Michelsen’s improvement over the past 13 months. The 20-year-old has already won 13 matches this season (two in Houston against Learner Tien and Adrian Mannarino) and is up to 34th in the rankings. Michelsen is in superior form and at an ATP 250 he will likely be the more motivated of the two players.

Pick: Michelsen in 3

(Q) Jenson Brooksby vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic

Kovacevic and Brooksby will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers and for the first time on the main tour. They have not faced each other since 2019, when Brooksby prevailed 6-4, 6-3 at a hard-court Futures event in Champaign. Six years later, Brooksby surely figured to be much higher up the rankings at this point in time–and he would be if not for a 24-month absence due to both wrist surgery and a doping suspension. The 24-year-old American, who comes in at No. 507 in the world, upset Felix Auger-Aliassime in Indian Wells and so far in Houston has dismissed Taro Daniel and Alejandro Tabilo–the latter from triple-match point down.

Up to 79th in the rankings, Kovacevic is playing by far the best tennis of his career. The 26-year-old American was the Montpellier runner-up in February, won the Cap Cana Challenger last month, and advanced to the Houston quarterfinals with straight-set victories over Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Corentin Donelly. Brooksby already has four matches in his legs (two in qualifying), so Kovacevic should have the physical edge in this matchup.

Pick: Kovacevic in 3