Tirante upsets Shelton to reach Houston semifinals

The unseeded Argentine will face compatriot Burruchaga in the final four.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 6:51pm

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Thiago Tirante, an unseeded Argentine player, defeated top-seeded American Ben Shelton in three sets to advance to the semifinals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston, Texas. Tirante won the match 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4 and will now face his fellow Argentine Roman Burruchaga in the semifinals.

Why it matters

This is a significant upset, as Shelton was the tournament's top seed and a rising star on the ATP Tour. Tirante's victory over the higher-ranked American player is an impressive accomplishment and sets up an all-Argentine semifinal matchup.

The details

Tirante and Shelton battled for over two hours, with Tirante prevailing in the decisive third set after splitting the first two. The unseeded Argentine played an aggressive style, hitting 35 winners to Shelton's 25, and was able to break the American's serve three times in the match.

  • The match took place on Friday, April 4, 2026.

The players

Thiago Tirante

An unseeded Argentine tennis player who has reached the semifinals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston.

Ben Shelton

The top-seeded American player who was upset by Tirante in the quarterfinals.

Roman Burruchaga

Tirante's fellow Argentine who he will face in the semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really proud of how I played today. Beating the top seed is a big win for me, and I'm excited to keep going in the tournament.”

— Thiago Tirante

What’s next

The winner of the Tirante-Burruchaga semifinal will advance to the championship match on Sunday, April 6.

The takeaway

Tirante's upset victory over Shelton demonstrates the depth of talent on the ATP Tour, as an unseeded player was able to knock off the tournament's top seed. The all-Argentine semifinal will be an intriguing matchup between two compatriots looking to reach the final.