Tirante upsets top seed Shelton to reach Houston ATP semifinals

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

Apr. 4, 2026 at 12:00am

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An abstract, energetic painting in vibrant neon colors depicting the intense action and movement of a tennis match, with the players' forms blurred and dissolved into expressive brushstrokes.An unseeded Argentine player's stunning upset of the tournament's top seed injects new drama and excitement into the Houston ATP clay court event.Houston Today

Unseeded Argentine Thiago Tirante pulled off a surprise upset over top-seeded American Ben Shelton, winning 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston, Texas. Tirante will now face fellow Argentine Roman Burruchaga in the final four.

Why it matters

This result is a major upset, with the 23-year-old Tirante taking down the 21-year-old Shelton, who was the tournament's top seed and a rising star on the ATP Tour. Tirante's run to the semifinals is an impressive achievement for the unseeded player.

The details

Tirante and Shelton battled for over two hours, with Tirante taking the opening set in a tiebreaker before Shelton leveled the match by winning the second set. In the decisive third set, Tirante was able to secure the crucial break of serve to clinch the victory and reach his first ATP semifinal.

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

The players

Thiago Tirante

A 23-year-old Argentine tennis player who is unseeded in the Houston ATP tournament.

Ben Shelton

A 21-year-old American tennis player who was the top seed in the Houston ATP tournament.

Roman Burruchaga

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

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What they’re saying

“I'm really proud of how I fought today and was able to pull off the upset. Shelton is a great player, but I just tried to stay focused and play my game.”

— 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 surprise run to the semifinals as an unseeded player shows the unpredictability of tennis tournaments and the opportunity for lesser-known players to make deep runs by pulling off big upsets.