by Hanlon Walsh
Tuesday’s U.S. Clay lineup features another compelling slate of first round singles and doubles matches across both courts.
Headlining Day 2 action is 35-year-old Kei Nishikori, the 2011 U.S. Clay finalist, who makes his first return to Houston in 14 years since he finished runner-up as a 21-year-old. The Japanese star who was also the finalist at the 2014 US Open owns 12 carer titles and has been ranked as high as
On Tuesday, Nishikori takes on Texas’ own Mitchell Krueger, a 31-year-old Dallas resident who advanced through qualifying in unusual circumstances, winning both of his matches through his opponents’ retirements.
All-ACC Battle Headlines Houston’s Sweet 16
March may be over, but Houston’s March Madness theme takes full effect on Tuesday as two former ACC college tennis stars, Chris Eubanks and Rinky Hijikata, square off for the second year in a row at River Oaks. Last year, Hijikata edged Eubanks in a serve-dominant contest, 7-6, 7-6. Eubanks will look to avenge his 2024 loss and earn his second career clay court win on Tuesday.
Eubanks and Hijikata are two of 23 former collegiate tennis stars competing in the singles and doubles draw this week, 11 of which are in action on Tuesday including:
- Ethan Quinn, a 21-year-old talent and 2023 NCAA singles champion for University of Georgia, who squares off against Australian veteran and sixth seed, Jordan Thompson.
- Mackie McDonald, a 2016 NCAA doubles champion for UCLA, who takes on Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan. Galan is a River Oaks veteran with a 5-4 lifetime record here ahead of his fifth career U.S. Clay appearance.
- Yannick Hanfmann, a former USC standout, will battle fellow California college star Nicolas Moreno De Alboran, who competed at UC Santa Barbara in 2018-2019.
- Colton Smith, a senior at University of Arizona who advanced through qualifying, is set to compete against Australia’s James Duckworth.
- Adam Walton, a former Tennessee vol, takes on American wildcard Michael Mmoh.
Red-Hot Harrison and King Lead Tuesday’s Doubles Lineup
The most in-form doubles team among the U.S. Clay field, Christian Harrison and Evan King, look to add a third title to their 2025 trophy case this week in Houston. The Americans have enjoyed a breakout 2025 season thus far, winning 75 percent of their matches (15-5) and two hardcourt titles in Dallas and Acapulco, along with a runner-up finish in Delray Beach and semi-finals run in Indian Wells. Harrison and King will kick off Stadium Court action at noon against another fellow Americans, Ryan Seggerman and Patrick Trhac..
Court 3 doubles matches feature a Team USA vs. Australia battle between McDonald and Alex Michelsen versus Matthew Christopher Romios and Adam Walton, while N.Sriram Balaji and Miguel Reyes-Varela take on Federico Agustin Gomez and Santiago Gonzalez to close out the day session.
