Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut continued their ruthless run through the North American summer ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, improving to 7-0 with a 6-4, 7-6(9) win against Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus in the Western & Southern Open semi-finals.

Herbert and Mahut lifted the trophy at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal last week and will battle for their 10th team title on Sunday against Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares. Herbert/Mahut are also bidding for a sixth Masters 1000 crown together, all at different tournaments.

The last team to win in Canada and Cincinnati in the same season was Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo, who accomplished the feat last year.

The fifth seeds needed one hour and 35 minutes to dispatch Harrison and Venus, converting their fifth match point. They fired eight aces, while saving the lone break point faced.

Earlier on Saturday, Murray and Soares advanced to their 10th final as a team, downing Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo 6-4, 7-5 in Cincinnati. There were just two break points in the one-hour and 22-minute affair and the British-Brazilian duo converted both.

Murray and Soares will vie for their first Masters 1000 title together, appearing in a third such final. They finished runners-up in both Monte-Carlo and Toronto in 2016. The team is 3-1 in ATP World Tour finals this year, however, having won three straight title matches in Acapulco, Stuttgart and The Queen’s Club.

It has been a dominant week for Murray and Soares, who have not dropped a set en route to the final. They got their revenge over Kubot and Melo on Saturday, having dropped both previous encounters this year at the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.

Grigor Dimitrov will play in the biggest final of his career after edging John Isner 7-6(4), 7-6(10) in a gripping semi-final encounter at the Western & Southern Open.

With the partisan home crowd firmly in Isner’s favour, Dimitrov played the role of spoiler, reaching his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final after two hours and three minutes. The seventh seed fired 10 aces, while overcoming 14 blasts off the Isner frame.

Dimitrov has found his top gear this week at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, not dropping a set en route to his 12th ATP World Tour final and third of the year. He lifted the trophy in Brisbane and Sofia to open his 2017 campaign.

The Bulgarian will face either Nick Kyrgios or David Ferrer in Sunday’s final.

“I think it’s a good step,” said Dimitrov. “It’s a good step. I have been on the tour for quite some time now, and I appreciate those moments. I’m starting to appreciate them even more.

“Being able to compete at a final, it’s always a great feeling. No matter Masters 1000 or 250, it’s always something that you work for. It all comes down to that.

First @ATPWorldTour Masters 1000 final for @GrigorDimitrov!#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/sD2vfF3Tis

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 19, 2017

“For me, as I said, right now is just all about just going step by step and just building up not only my confidence, my game, to be able to do that pretty much every time I’m entering a tournament. And I feel good. I think the body is responding well. I have been playing good tennis, as well. So that actually helps.

“Hopefully tomorrow is going to be one of those days that I can, again, produce good tennis. But not only that. I just kind of want to make sure that I’m going in the right direction.” 

More than two years removed from their lone previous encounter on the hard courts of Miami, Dimitrov struggled to adapt to Isner’s heavy game as proceedings got underway on a hot and humid afternoon. The Bulgarian found his own serve under attack as well, converting just one of his first six second-serve points.

Isner applied the pressure midway through the set, earning a pair of break points at 3-2 15/40. But Dimitrov held his ground, turning aside both opportunities and escaping a deuce game at 4-3. The opener would move to a tie-break, where Dimitrov’s first backhand winner of the match arrived at a critical juncture. A 95 mph laser into the corner earned him the decisive mini-break for 3/2 and he would take the opener after 50 minutes.

Dimitrov entered the match with a staggering 26-4 record in 2017 when winning the first set. He survived a 12-point opening service game in the second set, striking a sublime drop shot winner to hold.

Both players would have their chances as the set moved towards an inevitable tie-break. Isner was clutch in the crucial moments. Serving to stay in the match at 5-4, he saved a match point with a thunderous serve out wide and turned aside two more at 7/6 and 9/8 in the ensuing tie-break.

Painting line after line, Dimitrov saved a set point at 10/9 with a brilliant backhand winner down the line and carried the momentum into his fourth match point, which he converted as Isner netted a forehand. Both players fired 27 winners during the two-hour clash, but it was Dimitrov who was steadier from the back of the court, hitting 22 unforced errors to Isner’s 37.

“Today was, I think, one of those matches that I really had to just be patient. I think that that was the key. I knew I’m not going to have that many rallies against John. I knew that he’s going to serve big, bold serves.

“I just had to be very composed and use every opportunity that I had,” Dimitrov added. “I think in the end of the match, it was just a few points that made the biggest difference for me.

“I’m just happy obviously with the win, but I’m just happy with the way I kept myself together throughout the whole match. Just remained calm in those tough moments. I mean, I know it’s nerve-wracking from outside, but it’s even tougher when you’re in there and have to receive a serve that comes 141 miles an hour.”

Dimitrov is the fourth player to reach his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final this year. He joins Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Monte Carlo), Dominic Thiem (Madrid) and Alexander Zverev (Rome) as final debutantes.

Isner was bidding to reach his fourth Masters 1000 final and second in Cincinnati. The 2013 finalist (l. to Nadal) is in the midst of a staggering service rhythm despite the loss, holding in 146 of his last 149 service games. The North Carolina native will next move to Winston-Salem where he is the third seed.

 “I think the difference was he was a bit more decisive in the big moments,” said Isner. “Maybe a little calmer, as well. Sometimes you take the court and everything is going well and you’re not thinking too much out there and things are free flowing. At times that was the case out there for me, but at times maybe it wasn’t. And I think that cost me a little bit. I just think he was, as I said, a little more decisive and a little more free flowing in the big moments. And of course in a match like that, separated by a few points here or there, that was the case. So credit to him.

“I think I stepped up this week, which is what I was doing prior to this week, as well, and that’s just sort of going for my shots. There are some times when I didn’t, but all in all, I think I just gotta keep that up. It’s the only way I can play.

“And looking ahead to the US Open, I have a good team, got a great coach and great person to keep me healthy, so just keep working on the right things and I should be in pretty good shape heading into that tournament.”

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SURPRISE SEMI-FINALS TO PRODUCE NEW CINCY CHAMPION

• A new Western & Southern Open champion will be crowned among No. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov, No. 14 seed John Isner and unseeded players Nick Kyrgios and David Ferrer. Isner and Ferrer have played for the Cincinnati title before, finishing as runners-up in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Dimitrov and Kyrgios, on the other hand, have never reached an ATP Masters 1000 final.

• Isner and Dimitrov will meet in Saturday’s first semi-final. Neither man has lost a set this week, with Isner’s dominance dating back exactly one month. The Newport and Atlanta champion is 12-1 in matches and 24-2 in sets since July 19, holding in 134 of 137 service games (98%), saving 14 of 17 break points (82%) and hitting 238 aces and 27 double faults (9-to-1 ratio). Isner is 3-5 lifetime in ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals, while Dimitrov is 0-3. In the 2016 Cincinnati semi-finals, Dimitrov held two game points for a 5-2 third-set lead before falling to eventual champion Marin Cilic.

• Kyrgios faces Ferrer with a spot in his first final of 2017 on the line. The Aussie eliminated No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal on Friday, making 2017 Cincinnati the first ATP Masters 1000 event without a Big Four semi-finalist and finalist since 2012 Paris. Ferrer was the 2012 Paris champion, marking the only ATP Masters 1000 title won by any of the Cincinnati semi-finalists. The 35-year-old dropped to a 12-year low No. 46 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on July 17. Ferrer is 12-2 since then, and this week became the oldest Cincinnati semi-finalist since 1970 champion Ken Rosewall.

• Four of the last five Grand Slam champions are represented in the doubles semi-finals on Grandstand. Wimbledon champions Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo meet US Open champions Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares. Then, Roland Garros champions Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus take on 2016 Wimbledon champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.

And then there were four…

??Kyrgios v Ferrer??
??Isner v Dimitrov??

Don’t miss the #CincyTennis semi-finals ? https://t.co/BmumqUUL35 pic.twitter.com/AiQl6RTTRT

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 19, 2017

NON-BIG FOUR ATP MASTERS 1000 CHAMPIONS (since 2005)
2017: Alexander Zverev (Rome, Montreal), Cincinnati Champion
2016: Marin Cilic (Cincinnati)
2014: Stan Wawrinka (Monte-Carlo), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Toronto)
2012: David Ferrer (Paris)
2010: Ivan Ljubicic (Indian Wells), Andy Roddick (Miami), Robin Soderling (Paris)
2009: Nikolay Davydenko (Shanghai)
2008: Nikolay Davydenko (Miami), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Paris)
2007: David Nalbandian (Madrid, Paris)
2006: Tommy Robredo (Hamburg), Andy Roddick (Cincinnati), Nikolay Davydenko (Paris)
2005: Tomas Berdych (Paris)

NOTE: Nadal (30), Novak Djokovic (30), Roger Federer (22) and Andy Murray (14) have won 96 of 115 ATP Masters 1000 titles since the start of the 2005 season (83%)

FEDEX ATP HEAD2HEADS: SINGLES SEMI-FINALS
[14] John Isner (USA) vs [7] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)            Isner Leads 1-0

Isner 2017 Summary
W (2): Newport (d Ebden); Atlanta (d Harrison); SF (1): ATP Masters 1000 Rome (l A. Zverev); QF (4): Auckland (l Johnson); Memphis (l Young); Houston (l Escobedo); Eastbourne (l Gasquet)
YTD W-L: 28-15 (15-8 on hard)
YTD Titles: 2 / Career Titles: 12
Date of Birth: April 26, 1985 (32)
Emirates ATP Ranking: 19
Cincinnati W-L (Best Result): 15-9 (2013 Finalist)

• Tournament Note: Serve has not been broken in 11 of last 13 matches, including all 4 matches this week
• Did not drop a set en route to back-to-back titles at Newport (d. Ebden) and Atlanta (d. Harrison)
• In Newport, became 2nd champion to not face break point at an ATP event since at least 1991 (Haas: 2007 Memphis)
• Went 7-1 in TBs to reach 1st clay-court ATP Masters 1000 SF at Rome (d. Wawrinka and Cilic, l. to A. Zverev)
• Lost 3rd-set TBs in QFs at Auckland (l. to Johnson), Memphis (l. to Young) and Houston (l. to Escobedo)
• Let 2-set lead and 2 MPs slip away vs M. Zverev in Australian Open 2R — 5th loss of career from 2 sets up
• Squandered 3 MPs in ATP Masters 1000 Miami 3R vs A. Zverev; saved 1 MP in Auckland 2R vs Jaziri
• Advanced to Acapulco doubles final w/F. Lopez (d. Marach/F. Martin 16-14 in Match TB, l. to J. Murray/Soares)
• Withdrew from ATP Masters 1000 Madrid and Washington due to right knee injury

Dimitrov 2017 Summary
W (2): Brisbane (d Nishikori); Sofia (d Goffin); SF (2): Australian Open (l Nadal); London/Queen’s Club (l Lopez); QF (1): Rotterdam (l Goffin)
YTD W-L: 32-14 (22-6 on hard)
YTD Titles: 2 / Career Titles: 6
Date of Birth: May 16, 1991 (26)
Emirates ATP Ranking: 11
Cincinnati W-L (Best Result): 12-5 (2016-17 Semi-finalist)

• Tournament Note: Lost in ATP Masters 1000 SFs at 2014 Rome (l. to No. 1 Nadal), 2014 Toronto (l. to Tsonga) and 2016 Cincinnati (l. to Cilic)
• Began season 16-1 and reached 2nd Grand Slam SF at Australian Open (d. Goffin, l. to Nadal in 5 sets after 4:56)
• Captured 5th and 6th ATP titles respectively at Brisbane (d. Thiem, Raonic and Nishikori) and Sofia (d. Goffin)
• Reached London/Queen’s Club SF (l. to Lopez), Rotterdam QF (l. to Goffin) and Wimbledon 4R (l. to Federer)
• Broke back into Top 10 of Emirates ATP Rankings on July 17 for 1st time since February 23, 2015
• Suffered 3R losses at Indian Wells (l. to Sock after holding 4 MPs), Madrid (l. to Thiem after holding 5 MPs), Roland Garros (l. to Carreno Busta), Washington (l. to Medvedev) and Montreal (l. to Haase)
• Fell to No. 158 Pella in Miami 2R, No. 385 Robredo in Marrakech 2R as WC and No. 155 Janowicz in Stuttgart 2R

Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs David Ferrer (ESP)                Ferrer Leads 1-0

Kyrgios 2017 Summary
SF (3): Marseille (l Tsonga); Acapulco (l Querrey); ATP Masters 1000 Miami (l Federer); QF (1): ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells (w/o vs Federer)
YTD W-L: 25-11 (22-6 on hard)
YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 3
Date of Birth: April 27, 1995 (22)
Emirates ATP Ranking: 23
Cincinnati W-L (Best Result): 5-2 (2017 Semi-finalist)

• Tournament Note: Lost in ATP Masters 1000 SFs at 2016 Miami (l. to Nishikori) and 2017 Miami (l. to Federer)
• Advanced to ATP Masters 1000 Miami SF for 2nd straight year (l. to Federer 76 67 76 in 3 hours, 11 minutes)
• Also lost to eventual champions in 3-set SFs at Marseille (l. to Tsonga) and Acapulco (d. Djokovic, l. to Querrey)
• Hit 25 aces to beat Djokovic 76(9) 75 in Acapulco QF — most aces allowed by Djokovic in best-of-3 set match
• Joined countryman Hewitt as 2nd player to win 1st meeting with Djokovic, Federer and Nadal
• Defeated Djokovic again in ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells 4R (w/o vs Federer in QF due to illness)
• Blew 2-set lead and 1 MP in Aus. Open 2R loss to Seppi (d. Seppi at 2015 Aus. Open from 2 sets and 1 MP down)
• Led Australia to Davis Cup SF with wins over Czech Republic (d. Satral) and USA (d. Isner and Querrey)
• Withdrew from ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo (elbow), ATP Masters 1000 Rome (left hip) and Atlanta (left hip)
• Retired in 3 straight matches: London/Queen’s Club 1R (hip), Wimbledon 1R (hip), Washington 2R (right shoulder)

Ferrer 2017 Summary
W (1): Bastad (d Dolgopolov); SF (1): Estoril (l Carreno Busta)
YTD W-L: 22-16 (9-5 on hard)
YTD Titles: 1 / Career Titles: 27
Date of Birth: April 2, 1982 (35)
Emirates ATP Ranking: 31
Cincinnati W-L (Best Result): 21-12 (2014 Finalist)

• Tournament Note: Owns 7-10 record in ATP Masters 1000 SFs. Beat Benneteau in 2014 Cincinnati SF before falling to Federer in final.
• Saved 2 MPs vs Laaksonen in QF en route to 1st title since 2015 Vienna at Bastad (d. Dolgopolov)
• Became 13th player to reach 700 wins by beating Lopez in Rome 1R on May 16 (l. to Nishikori in 2R)
• Upset 2-time semi-finalist Gasquet in Wimbledon 1R (l. to Berdych in 3R)
• Lost to countrymen Bautista Agut in Australian Open 3R and Lopez in Roland Garros 2R
• Fell to 0-17 lifetime against Federer with 3-set loss in ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 3R
• Suffered 5-match losing streak from January 21 to May 4 before reaching Estoril SF (l. to Carreno Busta)
• Dropped to No. 46 in Emirates ATP Rankings on July 17 — lowest since No. 47 on March 14, 2005
• Withdrew from Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo and Kitzbuehel due to Achilles tendon injury

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Nick Kyrgios was at his ruthless best on Friday evening at the Western & Southern Open, blasting past Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-5 to secure a spot in the semi-finals. It was the 100th tour-level victory for the Aussie.

Kyrgios dominated from start to finish in his second match of day, reaching his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final of the year (Miami) and first in Cincinnati. Less than seven hours after rallying past Ivo Karlovic 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 in their rain-delayed third round affair, he needed just 80 minutes to thwart the soon to be World No. 1.

The victory was even more impressive considering the contrast in styles between opponents, with Kyrgios overcoming the big-serving Karlovic and more baseline oriented game of Nadal. With the Spaniard eliminated, it marks the first time since Paris 2012 that no member of the Big Four of Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are in the semis of an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. That’s 42 straight Masters 1000 tournaments.

No stopping Nick!@NickKyrgios speeds past Nadal in straight sets to make the last 4 in Cincinnati.#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/wVU7hP8pn7

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 19, 2017

Kyrgios exploded out of the gates on a beautiful Friday evening at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The Aussie landed punch after punch, utilising his great agility and aggressive gameplan to deliver a fiery statement.

Kyrgios would claim 10 of the first 11 points, seizing an immediate break in Nadal’s opening service game and chasing down a drop shot for an insurance break for 3-0. The 22 year old won seven of eight points on Nadal’s second serve in the set, rifling return winners with aplomb. He’d take the opener after just 25 minutes, claiming all five points lasting over five shots.

The second set featured much of the same, as Kyrgios fought off a break point and claimed an early advantage with a break for 3-2. Nadal would not go down quietly, however, fighting off a pair of match points while serving at 5-3 and one more with Kyrgios serving for the match at 5-4. He would break for 5-all, but the Aussie responded in kind in the next game. He would break right back and successfully served out the win with his 10th ace of the match.

With top seed Nadal out, it marks the first time since 2006 that no Top 5 seeds will feature in the Cincinnati semi-finals.

Kyrgios will face David Ferrer in Saturday’s semi-finals. Ferrer took their lone previous encounter in the first round of the 2013 US Open. Seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov battles 14th seed John Isner in the other semi-final.

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