Rising American stars Learner Tien, Alex Michelsen, and Nishesh Basavareddy will all be in action at the Houston ATP 250 on Thursday. Tien and Basavareddy are going head-to-head, while Michelsen faces Alexei Popyrin.
(3) Learner Tien vs. (WC) Nishesh Basavareddy
Tien and Basavareddy will already be going head-to-head for fifth time in the early stages of their professional careers when they battle for a quarterfinal spot at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship on Thursday. All four of their previous meetings have gone Tien’s way — in a pair of Challengers in 2024 and at the ATP level twice in 2025.
Their encounters have come on outdoor hard courts, indoor hard courts, and grass, so Tien will be looking to complete the surface sweep on clay. The surface should not make any difference, as both guys are basically complete novices on the red stuff. Basavareddy did well to defeat fellow former college standout Liam Draxl 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 on Tuesday, but Tien is in far better form right now and has much more experience moving into the business end of main-tour tournaments.
Pick: Tien in 2
(7) Alex Michelsen vs. Alexei Popyrin
Michelsen is coming off a stellar showing throughout the Sunshine Double, as he reached the fourth round in both Indian Wells and Miami. The 21-year-old has already won 13 matches this season, including a 6-4, 6-2 rout of Coleman Wong on Tuesday. Although Michelsen is not very experienced on clay, he did capture a Challenger title on the slow stuff last spring in Estoril.
Up next for the American on Thursday is a first-ever showdown against Popyrin, who is in the midst of a massive slump. The 45th-ranked Aussie is 3-8 this season and 3-13 in his last 16 matches dating back to the 2025 U.S. Open. Popyrin managed to scrape past Patrick Kypson 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the Houston opening round, but knocking out Michelsen is an entirely different proposition. Count on the world No. 35 continuing to rack up wins.
Pick: Michelsen in 2
WWW?
Yeah, agree on both counts here.
Popyrin had a bit of luck plus a purple patch to won that Masters, and hasn’t followed it up. If anything it’s hindered him, probably expectations. But his new facial hair (on his ATP mugshot anyway) suits him well. Anyone looked at beard aerodynamics in tennis?🤪
Even though Basavareddy got the W in his last match, that level of serving won’t get it done vs. Tien, Tien in 2, 6-2, 6-4.
Popyrin has far more experience, and is far more accomplished on clay than Michelsen, having made the 4rd of Roland Garros and has a clay title to his name, Michelsen has never been past R1 of RG, so I’m going with Popyrin here in 3, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.
Houston might as well be grass compared to RG
Not really and it doesn’t matter, it’s still clay, Houston might be closer to Madrid than RG, but it’s still not Michelsen’s surface by any means.
agreed. but, as mentioned, Popyrin should not beat Michelsen on any court, any surface, or in any city in the world right now.
Is that cause you say so, are you ready to eat more crow?
Form for both players goes out the window here, the change in surface means a change in fortunes.
Not really sure how you went from Michelsen going out to Wong, a guy who’d never played an ATP MD clay match before, to being so adamant he’s going to get past Popyrin, the total opposite, easy anyways.
Tien-Basa going 3.
American clay is basically a hard court with a dusting of clay.
Doesn’t matter how you try and dress it up, it’s still clay and guys still have to know how to slide and play on it.
Yeah but it’s quite different from European. The players who do well both here and in Charleston tend not to be the typical clay courts.
The players who tend to do well are those who are competent on both clay and hard.
Well that would make sense, since they are clay laid on hard.
But its simplistic, since clay and hard vary so much in speed and bounce.
Result: Tien 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Wow. Popyrin hasn’t had that good a result in a while. Very surprised here.
Result: Popyrin 6-0, 4-6, 6-1
Looking at past winners of Charleston and Houston , quite a few of them have clay as definitely not their best surface …