Trio of Top 20 Americans Headline US Clay Field

HOUSTON (March 6, 2024) – A trio of players who have claimed titles already in the 2024 season – Tommy Paul (Dallas), Jordan Thompson (Los Cabos) and Luciano Darderi (Cordoba) – are among the players on the initial entry list for the 2024 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. The ATP 250 tournament will be held March 30-April 7 at River Oaks Country Club.

Players previously announced for this year’s tournament include three Americans ranked in the Top 20: No. 16 Ben Shelton, No. 17 Paul and No. 18 Frances Tiafoe, the event’s defending champion. Other early commitments were 2023 runner-up Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina, Australian Max Purcell, who won the 2023 doubles title with Thompson, American Chris Eubanks and Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

Additional players joining the field on the initial entry list include World No. 22 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina, 2023 US Clay semifinalist Yannick Hanfmann, this season’s Dallas finalist Marcos Giron, and Auckland runner-up Taro Daniel.

The entries also include 2011 US Clay runner-up Kei Nishikori. The Japanese star reached a high of No. 4 in the ATP rankings, owns 12 career titles and was runner-up at the 2014 US Open. He will be returning to tour action just before coming to River Oaks by playing the Miami Open, his first event since last July.

Here is an overview of the 2024 field:

• 7 countries represented, led by 8 Americans
• 5 Americans ranked in the Top 50: Ben Shelton (16), Tommy Paul (17), Frances Tiafoe (18), Chris Eubanks (34) and Marcos Giron (48)
• 1 former US Men’s Clay champion: Frances Tiafoe (2023)
• 2 former US Men’s Clay finalists: Tomas Martin Etcheverry, (2023), Kei Nishikori (2011)
• 7 players making their tournament main draw debut: Francisco Cerundolo, Luciano Darderi, Chris Eubanks, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Alex Michelsen, Denis Shapovalov, Ben Shelton
• 3 players who have won an ATP Tour title in 2024: Luciano Darderi (Cordoba), Tommy Paul (Dallas), Jordan Thompson (Los Cabos)
• 3 players who have been runner-up on the ATP Tour in 2024: Taro Daniel (Auckland), Marcos Giron, (Dallas), Tommy Paul (Delray Beach)
• 2 ATP Newcomer of the Year winners: Kei Nishikori (2008), Denis Shapovalov (2017)
• 1 ATP Comeback Player of the Year winner: Mackenzie McDonald (2021)
• 1 ATP Most Improved Player winner: Denis Shapovalov (2017)
• 1 ATP Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award winner: Frances Tiafoe (2020)
• 2 players who won NCAA team championships: Yannick Hanfmann (USC, 2012, 2014) Ben Shelton (Florida, 2021)
• 3 NCAA singles champions: Marcos Giron (UCLA, 2014), Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA, 2016), Ben Shelton (Florida, 2022)
• 8 former college players: Francisco Cerundolo (South Carolina), Chris Eubanks (Georgia Tech), Marcos Giron(UCLA), Yannick Hanfmann (USC), Rinky Hijikata (North Carolina) Aleksandar Kovacevic (Illinois) Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA), Ben Shelton (Florida).
• 9 players age 25 and under (Youngest – Alex Michelsen, 19)
• 4 players age 30 and over (Oldest – Kei Nishikori, 34)

Here’s a look at the initial entrants:
(Rank) Name, Age, Country – Mini-Bio
(16) Ben Shelton, 21, USA – 2023 US Open SF, Australian Open QF; Won Tokyo title; US Clay debut
(17) Tommy Paul, 26, USA – 7-1 in US this season with Dallas title, Delray Beach final
(18) Frances Tiafoe, 26, USA – 2023 US Clay champ; Also won Stuttgart in 2023
(22) Francisco Cerundolo, 25, Argentina – Two-time finalist in 2023; 2022 Miami SFs
(30) Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 24, Argentina – 2023 US Clay finalist; Two clay QF this season
(33) Jordan Thompson, 29, Australia – Won Los Cabos in February; Also 1 SF and 2 QF this year
(34) Chris Eubanks, 27, USA – 2023 Mallorca winner, Wimbledon QF; Davis Cup debut last month
(48) Marcos Giron, 30, USA – Two-time ATP finalist, including Dallas last month
(57) Yannick Hanfmann, 32, Germany – 2023 US Clay semifinalist; Two-time ATP clay finalist
(67) Mackenzie McDonald, 28, USA – 2021 ATP Comeback winner, NCAA singles, doubles champ
(71) Max Purcell, 25, Australia – 3 titles in 6 2023 Challenger finals, 2x US Clay doubles champ
(73) Luciano Darderi, 22, Italy – Winner at Cordoba as qualifier in February; QF in Santiago
(76) Taro Daniel, 31, Japan – Finalist at Auckland in January then reached career high ranking
(78) Rinky Hijikata, 23, Australia – QFs this season in Brisbane and Delray Beach
(80) Alex Michelsen, 19, USA – Youngest American in Top 100; Finalist at Newport in 2023
(84) Daniel Elahi Galan, 27, Colombia – 2019 US Clay SF as qualifier, 2023 Wimbledon Round of 16
(92) Aleksandar Kovacevic, 25, USA – QFs in Los Cabos; Owns 4 career Challenger titles
(131) Denis Shapovalov, 24, Canada – Owns one title; ATP Newcomer and Comeback winner
(352*) Kei Nishikori, 34, Japan – Finalist at River Oaks in 2011, US Open in 2014; Career high No. 4
*Injury protected ranking used for entry

The tournament will award two wild cards while four more players will be added to the field following a two-round qualifying tournament that will be held at River Oaks March 30-31.

Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club
River Oaks Country Club is hosting a professional tennis tournament for the 88th time when the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship will be held March 30-April 7, 2024. River Oaks first hosted its own tournament, The River Oaks International, in 1931, and its roster of former champions includes Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas and James Blake. Houston is the 21st city to host the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. The tournament came to Houston in 2001, and has been hosted at River Oaks since 2008. Started in 1910 by the USTA, the 2024 tournament will be the 112th competition for the Clay Court Championship. American Frances Tiafoe was the 2023 singles champion while Australia’s Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson won the doubles title. The tournament beneficiary is the National Junior Tennis & Learning programs of the Houston Tennis Association. More information about the tournament can be found at www.mensclaycourt.com.