Ricky’s previews and picks for this week’s ATP 250s on clay

Clay-court season is right here! We’re per week away from issues actually heating up on the Monte-Carlo Masters, however this week’s appetizer ought to be a superb one. Houston, Estoril, and Marrakech take heart stage on the ATP Tour, with Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Gael Monfils, Dominic Thiem, and Stan Wawrinka amongst these taking the court docket. U.S. Males’s Clay Courtroom Championship

The place: Houston, Texas  Prize Cash: $661,585  Prime seed: Ben Shelton Defending champion: Frances Tiafoe 

Clay within the U.S.—a minimum of on the important tour—begins and ends with the U.S. Males’s Clay Courtroom Championship. The draw is much less American heavy than traditional in Houston, with simply 4 of the eight seeds hailing from the host nation. Shelton is No. 1 and has a superb draw, however he’s unproven on the crushed brick. Tomas Martin Etcheverry is by far the very best clay-courter within the high half of the bracket however hasn’t carried out a lot of late primarily as a result of an ankle damage sustained throughout February’s Golden Swing. 

Tiafoe obtained the very best Etcheverry within the 2023 Houston title match and so they may face one another within the closing but once more being on reverse sides of the draw. Nevertheless, primarily based on his present struggles it’s unlikely that Tiafoe makes a return journey to championship Sunday. Francisco Cerundolo and Denis Shapovalov may take benefit if Tiafoe loses early.

Quarterfinal picks: Ben Shelton over Brandon Nakashima, Tomas Martin Etcheverry over Juan Pablo Varillas, Thanasi Kokkinakis over Frances Tiafoe, and Francisco Cerundolo over Denis Shapovalov 

Semifinals: Etcheverry over Shelton and Cerundolo over Kokkinakis 

Remaining: Etcheverry over Cerundolo 

Estoril Open

The place: Estoril, Portugal  Prize cash: 579,320 Euros  Prime seed: Casper Ruud  Defending champion: Casper Ruud 

Ruud and Hurkacz are the highest two seeds and they’re joined in a robust Estoril Open subject by Monfils, Thiem, Lorenzo Musetti, and Arthur Fils. Ruud and Monfils are on the right track for a head-to-head showdown within the QFs, whereas Musetti vs. Fils could possibly be last-eight contest on the opposite facet of the draw. 

A few storylines that it’s best to observe contain two gamers at polar reverse ends of the profession spectrum. Portugal’s personal Joao Sousa is retiring on the finish of this occasion, so his closing is more likely to come in opposition to Fils in spherical one. As for 17-year-old Joao Fonseca, he began making a reputation for himself on clay in February. The Brazilian, who tasks as a future star, may run into Hurkacz within the Estoril second spherical.

Quarterfinal picks: Casper Ruud over Gael Monfils, Daniel Altmaier over Richard Gasquet, Lorenzo Musetti over Arthur Fils, and Dominik Koepfer over Joao Fonseca 

Semifinals: Ruud over Altmaier and Musetti over Koepfer 

Remaining: Ruud over Musetti 

Grand Prix Hassan II

The place: Marrakech, Morocco  Prize cash: 562,815 Euros  Prime seed: Laslo Djere Defending champion: Roberto Carballes Baena 

The Grand Prix Hassan II pales compared to the opposite two tournaments. Working example: Laslo Djere is the highest seed in Marrakech; he could be the seventh seed in Houston and he additionally wouldn’t have a first-round bye in Estoril. On the opposite facet of the coin, Wawrinka and Matteo Berrettini need to kick begin their seasons and that is an occasion that just about anybody can win.

Each Wawrinka and Berrettini discover themselves within the backside half of the draw and so they may meet within the semis. The Swiss’ path is vast open, however Berrettini has one of many hardest attracts of anybody. He’ll face Alexander Shevchenko within the first spherical and if he wins the Italian may finally meet Lorenzo Sonego within the QFs.

Quarterfinal picks: Flavio Cobolli over Laslo Djere, Facundo Diaz Acosta over Roberto Carballes Baena, Lorenzo Sonego over Alexander Shevchenko, and Stan Wawrinka over Sebastian Ofner 

Semifinals: Diaz Acosta over Cobolli and Wawrinka over Sonego 

Remaining: Wawrinka over Diaz Acosta