Following a compelling Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami, the Tour’s stars shift onto clay with three ATP 250 events this week in Houston, Marrakech and Bucharest.
Ben Shelton headlines the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, joined by fellow Americans Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul. Defending champion Luciano Darderi leads the field at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, while Gabriel Diallo tops the draw at the Tiriac Open presented by UniCredit Bank in Bucharest.
ATPTour.com looks at five things to watch at each event.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN HOUSTON
1) Shelton seeks reset on familiar ground: After his triumph at the ATP 500 in Dallas, where he saved three championship points to defeat Taylor Fritz, Shelton has struggled to maintain momentum. The 23-year-old suffered a a third-round loss in Indian Wells and an opening defeat in Miami, but returns to Houston, where he lifted the trophy in 2024.
2) Tiafoe riding strong early-season form: Tiafoe enters the clay swing with a solid 17–7 record in 2026, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Following a quarter-final run in Miami, where he fell to Jannik Sinner, Tiafoe will aim to reclaim the Houston crown he last won in 2023 after finishing runner-up the past two years.
3) Brooksby back to defend fairytale title: Jenson Brooksby returns as defending champion after a remarkable run to his maiden ATP Tour title last year as World No. 507. The 25-year-old American will look to replicate that magic this week, when he starts against countryman Mackenzie McDonald.
4) Deep American field: Third seed Tommy Paul, reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Learner Tien, and Brandon Nakashima add further depth to a draw packed with homegrown talent.
5) Michelsen/Tien join forces in doubles: Friends and rivals Alex Michelsen and Tien team up in the doubles draw, which also features Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN MARRAKECH
1) Darderi chasing more clay success: Darderi returns to Marrakech, where he claimed one of three clay-court titles during an impressive 2025 season. Having won the trophy in Santiago in February, the Italian returns at a career-high No. 18 in the PIF ATP Rankings, looking to add another trophy to his collection.
2) Berrettini eyeing resurgence: Former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini, champion in Marrakech in 2024, continues his comeback. The Italian showed encouraging signs with a quarter-final run in Rio de Janeiro and a notable win over Alexander Bublik en route to the third round in Miami.
3) #NextGenATP talents: Rafael Jodar, 19, makes his tournament debut after breaking into the Top 100 and reaching the third round in Miami. The Spaniard is joined by 18-year-old Italian Federico Cina, who is also in early contention for the Next Gen ATP Finals.
4) Griekspoor returns from injury: Tallon Griekspoor makes his comeback after he was forced to withdraw ahead of the Dubai final in February due to a left hamstring injury. Last year’s Marrakech finalist will look to go one step further this time around.
5) Nys/Roger-Vasselin top seeds: Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin headline the doubles field. The pair arrives in strong form, having reached the ATP Challenger final in Phoenix and their first Masters 1000 quarter-final together in Miami.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN BUCHAREST
1) Diallo leads with power: Diallo brings his big-serving game to Bucharest, where he is aiming to improve on his 6-5 tour-level record on clay. The Canadian makes his second consecutive appearance at the event after pushing Sebastian Baez to three sets in the second round in 2025.
2) Baez targeting consistency: Baez has won at least one ATP Tour title each season since 2022. Last year’s Bucharest finalist, who has already posted semi-final runs in Buenos Aires and Santiago in 2026, will aim to maintain that streak.
3) Marozsan seeks first title: Fabian Marozsan has proven a dangerous foe for all opponents on the ATP Tour, earning six victories against Top-10 players in his career. Will this be the week he claims his first ATP Tour title? The Hungarian enters on a three-match losing streak, most recently falling to Joao Fonseca in three sets in Miami, and will look to reset and make an impact in his Bucharest debut.
4) Seeded contenders: World No. 50 Nuno Borges, lefty Adrian Mannarino, Daniel Altmaier, and Botic van de Zandschulp form a competitive group of seeds capable of deep runs. Second seed Mannarino is a five-time ATP Tour titlist who has made 11 additional finals, but has never made it to a championship match on clay.
5) Doumbia/Reboul lead doubles: Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul enter as the top seeds in doubles. The Frenchmen, who are 10th in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, are chasing their first title of the season.
