The ATP 250 level competition takes place at the River Oaks Country Club in April each season. Often, the tournament is also referred to as the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships - its traditional name.
Even though the event is now called the Houston Open, it has roots back to 1910, when the first draw took place at the Omaha Field Club in Nebraska. In addition, the competition did not become a professional-level competition until 1970, when it was part of the Grand Prix Tour.
Before the tournament eventually settled at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston in 2001, it had several venues in Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Michigan, and many other US states. In 2009, the event achieved ATP 250 status, and it has retained it ever since.
Each season, 32 players participate in the week-long singles event at the Houston Open alongside the men’s doubles draw of 16 pairs. With its history spanning over a century, many players have won the Men's Clay Court Championships.
Although, since the Houston Open evolved into an ATP 250 event in 2009, former American player Andy Roddick has won the competition the most times. Roddick lifted the Houston Open title on three occasions between 2001 and 2005.
In the doubles draw, the American siblings Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan dominated the event between 2009 and 2016. During this spell, the Bryan brothers won a record five doubles titles at the River Oaks Country Club.
