ATP Houston Quarterfinal Predictions Including Ben Shelton vs Brandon Nakashima

Marcos Giron vs Luciano Darderi

Head-to-head: First meeting

Marcos Giron comes into this match on a hot streak, taking out both Denis Shapovalov and JJ Wolf in straight sets. His quarterfinal appearance this year is already a step up from his surprising second-round loss to Tomas Machac in last year’s Houston event. Darderi, however, should not be overlooked in this one. He stunned the No. 2 seed Francisco Cerundoloo 6-4 2-6 7-6 (4), with the Italian two points from losing the match deep in the third set. Darderi notably stunned the tennis world this February when he won the ATP Cordoba Open as a qualifier. With 10 wins on the clay in 2024, it’s a stark contrast to Giron’s two wins, with the American playing his first clay court tournament of the season this week. While Giron may be the favorite, Darderi’s youth and motivation as the underdog may result in an upset.

Prediction: Darderi in 3

Frances Tiafoe vs Jordan Thompson

Head-to-head: 1-1

Frances Tiafoe hasn’t had a great 2024 season, making this tournament all the more important for him to reclaim his mojo. He battled through a close second-round match against James Duckworth, winning 7-5 in the third set. Jordan Thompson possesses a style of play similar to James Duckworth’s, so Tiafoe will be prepared. In one of the longest best-of-3 matches of the season, Thompson won in a 3h36 second-round match against Alexandre Kovacevic that ended well after midnight. It could be too tough of a turnaround for the Aussie, especially with Tiafoe having the crowd support and confidence as the defending champion. The pair haven’t played in nearly five years.

Prediction: Tiafoe in 3

Ben Shelton vs Brandon Nakashima

Head-to-head: First meeting

Ben Shelton survived an exciting Wednesday night clash against Zizou Bergs to reach this stage of the tournament. Bergs, who sits at a current career-high ranking of No. 111, pushed Shelton into a close third set. Now that Shelton has passed a major milestone in his clay court career by reaching a quarterfinal, it may give him confidence and minimize his nerves. Brandon Nakashima, while having a good week after two straight-set wins, likely won’t have the weapons and firepower to take out Shelton. Shelton will use his big serve to reach the semifinals.

Prediction: Shelton in 2