Fourth seed Tommy Paul edged out second seed Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) on Saturday to book a title clash with Roman Burruchaga at the ATP clay court tournament in Houston, Texas.
Paul improved to 4-1 against fellow American Tiafoe, denying the 2023 champion a fourth consecutive finals appearance in Houston.
“I did a good job playing when I needed to,” Paul said after prevailing in a rain-stopped match in the second set. “That was an incredible match with Big Foe.
Paul, ranked 21st in the world, is in his second final of the year after finishing second to Sebastian Korda in Delray Beach in February.
But the 28-year-old is in his first clay court final, where in Burruchaga he will face an opponent who will be playing his first title match.
Burruchaga, ranked 77th, beat his friend and fellow Argentine Thiago Tirante 6-1, 6-1.
He took control with a break in the first game and never relented, breaking Tirante five times without ever facing a break point in the 61-minute match.
Tirante, who had just defeated American Ben Shelton, the first seed, in the quarterfinals, weakened under the relentless pressure of Burruchaga.
“We are very close friends, so it is never easy,” said Burruchaga, son of soccer player Jorge Burruchaga, famous for scoring the winning goal for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup final.
“It was a very tough game, so I’m happy.”
Published on April 5, 2026