Both of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship semifinal matches featured two players who knew each other well. On one side, Argentinian Thiago Agustin Tirante was defeated by his good friend and countryman, Roman Andres Burruchaga. On the other hand, Americans Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe faced off.
This all meant that no secrets were going to be learned from one player to another. That would have to wait until the final. The outcome of the match was going to be decided by execution and by who played better in the bigger points.
In the first set, each player held with relative ease, and the set appeared to be headed toward a tie-break. However, serving at 6-5, Tiafoe got himself into trouble by giving Paul a few more looks at second serves and then playing more to the middle of the court. Paul was able to take the game by playing the angles better and forcing Tiafoe to fit shots into tighter spaces.
Tommy Paul survives battle that changes everything in Houston
As with most tennis matches that feature two players of similar skillset, though, Paul's seeming advantage didn't last long. Tiafoe got a break relatively early in the second set and jumped to a 4-3 lead. The sleepy Houston crowd didn't appear to enjoy the impressive play, however, as they stayed quiet as if it were a rainy day.
That is when the rains actually came, suspending the match. The Houston clay isn't covered, and while it soaks up moisture well, if the rain is too heavy, it takes a while to dry.
Once play resumed, Tiafoe picked up where he left off. He held and played more confidently. That didn't last the rest of the match, though. While he took set two 6-4, and evened the match, the question was always whether Tiafoe could have consistent power, instead of being the more spotty player.
He couldn't. Paul appeared to change the narrative with a break back in set three, after Tiafoe had gotten the earlier break, but Paul's consistency, being the metronome of forehand and serve that Tiafoe simply cannot be, then allowed him to get another break, and take a 4-2 lead on serve.
The players, though, couldn't seemingly hold serve midway through the final set, and Tiafoe got yet another break to be on serve 3-4. He would hold and even the set at 4-all. Then each player held to get to a tie-break.
One player is not obviously better than the other, and in a match of players who know each other well, Paul was the winner, even though he had nearly 50 unforced errors compared to both players having nearly 25 winners, as Paul took the final set tie-break 9-7.
Tommy Paul will next play Burruchaga in the final on Sunday. The match is unlikely to be easy. While the Argentine has moved up to No. 61 in the live ATP rankings, he is playing in Houston like a top-20 player. His forehand and serve are bombastic, and he moves well, especially on clay. He is also riding the momentum of winning his most recent Challenger series tournament.