Houston Open: Brooksby becomes third lowest-ranked player to win an ATP singles title
The American returned to the tour only in January after two years on the sidelines
Jenson Brooksby, Houston 2025 (Image Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images/Sipa USA/SIPA)
It’s been a tough time for American Jenson Brooksby over the past two seasons. The American, who peaked at No 33 in the rankings in June 2022, underwent arthroscopic surgery on both of his wrists in the first half of 2023. He was then suspended for three misses on the whereabouts rule by the International Tennis Integrity Agencey and handed an 18-month suspension, which was later reduced to 13 months.
In December, a few weeks before he began his comeback at the Australian Open, the American revealed that he has been diagnosed on the severe end of the autism spectrum as a child and was non-verbal until the age of four.
But on Sunday, all those tough moments crept into the background as Brooksby won his first ATP singles title at the Houston Open with a 6-4, 6-2 win over second seed Frances Tiafoe at the River Oaks Country Club. Brooksby is now 3-0 lifetime against his higher-ranked countryman.
That’s pretty intense, so thanks for sticking with it, every match, every day here for me.
The win makes Brooksby, ranked No 550 in the world coming into the tournament, the third-lowest ranked player in ATP history to win an ATP singles title. It will also take him up to No 172 in the new world rankings on Monday
Below is a list of the top 5 lowest-ranked players to win an ATP singles title
- No 777 Marin Cilic – Hangzhou 2024
- No 550 Lleyton Hewitt – Adelaide 1998
- No 507 Jenson Brooksby- Houston 2025
- No 355 – Pablo Andujar – Marrakech 2018
- No 325 – Fernando Gonzalez – Orlando 2000
“Thank you to my team. All the way from qualifying, match point down,” Brooksby said during the on-court presentation ceremony. “That’s pretty intense, so thanks for sticking with it, every match, every day here for me. The support has been amazing since Round 1 of qualifying. Thank you, everybody. I’ve loved the support here and it’s great to be back in Texas.”
Earlier in the week, Brooksby beat Japanese Taro Daniel (6-4, 6-4), Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, the No 3 seed (3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6)), Aleksandar Kovacevic (2-6, 6-3, 6-4) and top seed Tommy Paul (7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (6)), saving match points in three of those matches (including his wins in the qualifying draw).
Tiafoe, ranked No 17, beat Australian Adam Walton (7-5, 6-3), No 5 seed Alex Michelsen (7-5, 6-1) and No 4 seed Brandon Nakashima (6-4, 7-6 (3)) en route to reaching his third final in a row in Houston.
