When was the last all-American quarter-final at ATP Tour level before Houston feat?
The American flag is flying high at the 2025 US Men’s Clay Court Championship as all eight quarter-finalists are from the United States.
It is the first time in three decades that that eight Americans have reached the last eight of an ATP Tour event following a similar achievement in Orlando in 1991.
Top two seeds Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe have been joined in the last eight by Brandon Nakashima, Alex Michelsen, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Chris Eubanks, Colton Smith and Jenson Brooksby.
Nakashima (4) and Michelsen (5) are also seeded, but world No 79 Kovacevic and world No 117 Eubanks were unseeded along with qualifiers Smith (No 200) and Brooksby (No 507).
The 24-year-old Brooksby is trying to make his way back up the rankings following surgery and his suspension for missing three doping tests in 2023.
He is now the lowest-ranked quarter-finalist in the tournament’s history after beating third seed Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).
Meanwhile, Smith has reached the last eight of an ATP Tour event for the first time in his career after beating fellow American Ethan Quinn.
Michelsen defeated Adrian Mannarino in three sets to complete the all-American line-up.
“It’s sick,” world No 34 Michelsen said of the achievement. “We have a lot of great guys in the Top 100 right now, 12 or 13, and we’re playing super strong. Hopefully one of us will win a Slam soon!”
It is safe to say an American will win the title as Paul faces Smith, Tiafoe is up against Michelsen, Eubanks takes on Nakashima and Kovacevic squares off against Brooksby.
The 1991 Magic Eight
The last time all eight Americans were in the quarter-final of a singles event was in Orlando in 1991 when Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Brad Gilbert, MaliVai Washington, Derrick Rostagno, Jimmy Arias, Chuck Adams and David Pate reached the last eight.
Top seed Agassi won the title when he defeated Rostagno in three sets in the final.
Seven In San Jose
Four years after that feat, seven American men reached the quarter-final in San Jose as Agassi, Washington, Michael Chang, Jim Courier, Grabb, Bryan Shelton and Brian MacPhie were battling it out for semi-final places.
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The “odd” man out was Greg Rusedski, who was still playing under the Canadian flag, but he lost in the quarters as four Americans made the last four.
Agassi also won that title as he defeated Chang in the final.
Six In Newport
The most recent occurrence of an American-heavy quarter-final was at the Hall of Fame Open in 2024 with Eubanks, Michelsen, Marcos Giron, Alexander Kovacevic, Reilly Opelka and Mackenzie McDonald taking the honours.
Australians Alexander Vukic and Alex Bolt spoiled the party as they beat Americans Eliot Spizzirri and Nakashima, respectively, but their runs were ended in the quarter-final as it was a clean sweep for the hosts.
Giron went on to beat Michelsen in the final.
