Tennis News

Zverev, Rublev reach Cincinnati QFs

Alexander Zverev became the 10th player in history to reach 30 ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals on Friday at the Cincinnati Open, where he moved past Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 7-6(6).

The third-seeded German recovered from squandering break advantages in both sets to eventually earn his 51st win of the season. Zverev lifted his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome earlier this year and will aim to add to that tally in Ohio, where he next meets Ben Shelton or Fabian Marozsan.

Zverev, who struck 26 winners in his two-hour, five-minute win against Carreno Busta, has fond memories in Cincinnati. The 27-year-old captured the trophy in 2021 and reached the semi-finals last season.

A deep run at the hard-court event will also boost Zverev’s hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals. A two-time champion at the year-end event, Zverev is third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

In other action, Andrey Rublev made it two wins in two weeks against Brandon Nakashima. He moved past the 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion 7-6(5), 6-1.

Rublev defeated Nakashima en route to his second ATP Masters 1000 final of the season in Montreal last week. After fending off both break points he faced in the first set against Nakashima on Friday, the No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings raced clear in the second set. He hit 12 winners and committed just two unforced errors in the set to advance after 82 minutes.

Rublev will next play World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals. Rublev, who is 34-16 on the year, overcame Sinner in Montreal.

Rublev is up one spot to sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin following his win and is aiming to make his fifth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Felix Auger-Aliassime earned a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory against seventh seed Casper Ruud. The Canadian, who struck 26 winners to Ruud’s three, according to Infosys ATP Stats, will return to court Friday evening not before 7 p.m. to face Jack Draper.

Auger-Aliassime now leads Ruud 4-3 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 24-year-old trailed Ruud 1-3 as recently as April, but Felix has scored wins against the Norwegian in Madrid, at the Paris Olympics and in Cincinnati to pull ahead.

By advancing to the Round of 16, Auger-Aliassime collected his 50th match win at ATP Masters 1000 level. He is the third player born in 2000 or later to reach that milestone, behind Jannik Sinner (69) and Carlos Alcaraz (59).

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Sinner gets walkover into QFs, where he has chance for revenge

Jannik Sinner has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open after Jordan Thompson withdrew from their scheduled third-round match Friday with a rib injury.

The World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings will now get the opportunity to avenge last week’s loss to Andrey Rublev in Montreal. The World No. 6 defeated Sinner 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in the quarter-finals, snapping a three-match losing streak to the Italian.

Sinner leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 5-3.

Sinner, who is chasing his first title since winning the ATP 500 in Halle on grass in June, defeated American qualifier Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-5 in his opening-round match in Cincinnati.

Last week Sinner became the first player to qualify for November’s Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

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British number two Norrie withdraws from US Open

British number two Cameron Norrie withdraws from the US Open because of the forearm injury which also prevented him playing in the Olympics.

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Norrie withdraws from US Open

Cameron Norrie announced on Friday his withdrawal from the 2024 US Open due to a forearm injury.

The Brit, who sits at No. 47 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has not played since mid-July at the Nordea Open in Bastad, where he lost to Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-4 in Nadal’s first event back from injury.

 

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The British No. 2 missed representing Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to the injury.

Norrie reached the third round at Flushing Meadows last year, falling to Matteo Arnaldi 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. His best result at the US Open came in 2022 when he reached the fourth round, before losing to Andrey Rublev in straight sets.

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Play starts in Cincinnati following rain

Play has started at the Cincinnati Open on Friday after rain caused a one-hour, 20-minute delay.

The action began at 12:20 p.m. local time, with WTA star Iga Swiatek opening play on center court against Marta Kostyuk. Carlos Alcaraz will resume his match against Gael Monfils following Swiatek. The Spaniard led the Frenchman 6-4, 6-6(1-3) when play was cancelled on Thursday night due to rain.

No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner will then take on Australian Jordan Thompson in the third round. If Alcaraz overcomes Monfils, he is scheduled to face Holger Rune later on Friday afternoon.

Alexander Zverev has opened proceedings on P&G Grandstand against Pablo Carreno Busta, while Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and Ben Shelton are all scheduled to compete on Stadium 3. Rublev plays Brandon Nakashima, Ruud takes on Felix Auger-Aliassime and Shelton meets Fabian Marozsan.

ORDER OF PLAY – FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2024
CENTER COURT start 12:00 pm
WTA – [1] I. Swiatek (POL) vs [15] M. Kostyuk (UKR)

Not Before 12:30 pm
Second Round – ATP – G. Monfils (FRA) vs [2] C. Alcaraz (ESP) 46 66
Third Round – ATP – [1] J. Sinner (ITA) vs J. Thompson (AUS)

Not Before 3:00 pm
Third Round – After Suitable Rest – ATP – [15] H. Rune (DEN) vs G. Monfils (FRA) or [2] C. Alcaraz (ESP)
WTA MATCH
Third Round – ATP – F. Tiafoe (USA) vs J. Lehecka (CZE)

P&G GRANDSTAND start 12:00 pm
ATP – [3] A. Zverev (GER) vs [PR] P. Carreno Busta (ESP)

Not Before 12:30 PM
WTA – [7] Q. Zheng (CHN) vs [Q] M. Frech (POL)

Not Before 1:00 PM
WTA – [3] A. Sabalenka vs E. Svitolina (UKR)
WTA – D. Shnaider vs L. Fernandez (CAN)

Not Before 7:00 pm
ATP – [7] C. Ruud (NOR) or F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs J. Draper (GBR)
WTA – [7] D. Schuurs (NED) / L. Stefani (BRA) vs [3] A. Muhammad (USA) / E. Routliffe (NZL)

HOLCIM STADIUM 3 start 12:00 pm
Third Round – ATP – [WC] B. Nakashima (USA) vs [6] A. Rublev

Not Before 12:30 pm
Second Round – ATP – [7] C. Ruud (NOR) vs F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN)

Not Before 1:00 pm
Third Round – ATP – [12] B. Shelton (USA) vs F. Marozsan (HUN)
Third Round – ATP – [5] H. Hurkacz (POL) vs F. Cobolli (ITA)

Not Before 5:00 pm
WTA MATCH

After Suitable Rest
WTA – [1] K. Siniakova (CZE) / T. Townsend (USA) vs [OSE] L. Fernandez (CAN) / Y. Putintseva (KAZ)

COURT 10 start 12:00 pm
WTA – [10] L. Samsonova vs [LL] E. Avanesyan (ARM)

Not Before 12:30 PM
WTA – [WC] C. Wozniacki (DEN) vs A. Pavlyuchenkova
WTA – M. Andreeva vs [5] J. Paolini (ITA)

Not Before 2:30 PM
WTA – P. Badosa (ESP) vs Y. Putintseva (KAZ)

After Suitable Rest
WTA – [4] S. Errani (ITA) / J. Paolini (ITA) vs [OSE] L. Noskova (CZE) / D. Shnaider

COURT 4 start 12:00 pm
Second Round – ATP – [1] M. Granollers (ESP) / H. Zeballos (ARG) vs H. Nys (MON) / J. Zielinski (POL)

Not Before 12:30 pm
Second Round – ATP – [7] H. Heliovaara (FIN) / H. Patten (GBR) vs W. Koolhof (NED) / N. Mektic (CRO) 67(3) 22
Second Round – ATP – [5] S. Bolelli (ITA) / A. Vavassori (ITA) vs I. Dodig (CRO) / J. Murray (GBR)
Quarterfinals – ATP – [3] R. Ram (USA) / J. Salisbury (GBR) vs [WC] M. McDonald (USA) / A. Michelsen (USA)

COURT 7 start 12:00 pm
WTA – T. Mihalikova (SVK) / O. Nicholls (GBR) vs H. Dart (GBR) / E. Perez (AUS)

Not Before 1:00 PM
WTA – [6] J. Pegula (USA) vs K. Muchova (CZE)

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Draper fights back to beat Tsitsipas in Cincinnati

British number one Jack Draper battles back from a set down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas and reach the third round at the Cincinnati Open.

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Fils & Jarry oust Cincinnati second seeds, reach QFs

Arthur Fils and Nicolas Jarry earned a hard-fought victory Thursday at the Cincinnati Open, where they overcame second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 6-4, 6-7(5), 10-8 to reach the quarter-finals.

Teaming for the second consecutive week, Fils and Jarry, who lost in the Montreal first round, saved the two break points they faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Bopanna and Ebden, fourth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles To Turin, led 8/6 in the Match Tie-break before Fils and Jarry tallied four consecutive points to advance.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/08/16/01/45/bopanna-ebden-cincinnati-2024-doubles.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden during Thursday’s action in Cincinnati.” />
^{Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden during Thursday’s action in Cincinnati. Credit: Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour}

The French-Chilean duo will meet fifth seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori or Ivan Dodig and Jamie Murray in the last eight.

In other Match Tie-break action, Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski downed defending champions Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 3-6, 7-5, 10-5 while Neal Skupski and Michael Venus defeated sixth seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 2-6, 10-4.

Though it was not the result for which Gonzalez and Molteni had hoped, Molteni struck a shot of the season contender early in the second set. The Argentine miraculously hit the ball around the net post with a one-handed stab that painted the sideline.

Third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, who won the ATP Masters 1000 event in 2022, survived Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 7-6(4), 7-6(3). Fourth seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic ousted Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(2).

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Alcaraz vs. Monfils Cincinnati match suspended due to rain

Carlos Alcaraz and Gael Monfils were locked in a second-set tie-break Thursday at the Cincinnati Open when rain suspended the second-round match. The Spaniard leads 6-4, 6-6(1/3). Play will resume not before 9:30 p.m. local time.

Last year’s finalist Alcaraz, who is playing his first hard-court tournament since March, saved a set point on serve at 5-6 to force a tie-break. The second seed has fended off all five break points he has faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but trails by a mini-break with Monfils serving at 3/1 in the second-set tie-break.

The winner between Alcaraz and Monfils will face 15th seed Holger Rune in the Round of 16. The 21-year-old Alcaraz, No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, leads Monfils 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

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Draper escapes Tsitsipas in Cincinnati, Shelton saves MP

Jack Draper survived a three-set thriller Thursday at the Cincinnati Open, where he fought off ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 to reach the Round of 16.

The British lefty broke Tsitsipas to love in a dramatic game at 4-5 in the deciding set, during which the Greek
lost a first serve when he received a time violation at 0/30. Tsitsipas then double fault, giving Draper three break points, but the 22-year-old only needed one forehand pass to level the set and deflate Tsitsipas’ momentum.

“Since coming from the Olympics I haven’t found my best tennis… but I’ve been trying to find a way and I showed my grit and determination to come through today,” Draper said. “Each day I play and get an opportunity to come out and play again the better I feel. I feel great physically and look forward to keep it going.”

Draper now leads Tsitsipas 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Stuttgart champion also beat the 11-time tour-level titlist at the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 event in 2022.

“Stefanos is such a tough competitor, so I had to be there every point and be ready to compete,” said Draper, who committed 24 unforced errors to Tsitsipas’ 38. “Losing my service and then coming back in the final three games means the world to me and helps a lot mentally.”

Up next for the World No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings is seventh seed Casper Ruud or Felix Auger-Aliassime.

In other Cincinnati three-set action, Ben Shelton saved a match point to overcome Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(6), 7-6(7), 6-3 after two hours, 52 minutes. The Argentine had a match point on serve at 7/6 in the second-set tie-break, after Shelton had three consecutive set points from 6/3.

No hard feelings? 😂😅

This is how a meme is born 👀@CincyTennis | #CincyTennis | @BenShelton pic.twitter.com/a4yEN2VSrf

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 15, 2024

“This was a difficult match for me because I started so hot. So to lose that first set after the way that I was playing, multiple set points, up a break,” Shelton said. “Then I had huge chances in the second that I ended up coming through on. Kind of just had to battle it out and stay there. I ended up squeaking out the second set and rolling in the third.

“These are the types of wins that really propel you. The ones where you are tested, back against the wall and you come through in the big moments. That’s what’s really important to me about this one.”

Shelton will next face Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, who earlier upset eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

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Rublev, Nakashima earn Cincinnati victories, set rematch

Andrey Rublev and Brandon Nakashima continued their impressive form on Thursday at the Cincinnati Open, where they both earned wins to reach the third round and set a Montreal rematch.

Rublev overcame Chinese star Zhang Zhizhen 6-4, 6-3 to clinch his fifth win in six matches. The No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings reached his second ATP Masters 1000 final of the season in Montreal last week and quickly adjusted to the conditions in Ohio against Zhang.

Rublev hammered 23 winners and committed just five unforced errors to triumph after 61 minutes, improving to 3-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Forehand 🔥 in Cincinnati!@tennis_insights | #ShotQuality pic.twitter.com/F1pSJqIBGn

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 15, 2024

Rublev, who is chasing his third title of the season this week, will next play Nakashima after the American defeated #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils  7-5, 7-6(3) in one hour and 50 minutes.

The 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champ upset Taylor Fritz in the first round in Cincinnati and backed that up against Fils by saving all six break points he faced.

Nakashima beat Top 15 star Tommy Paul en route to the third round in Montreal last week, before he fell to Rublev. The 23-year-old, currently No. 49 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will aim to earn revenge when he takes on Rublev in the third round in Ohio.

In other action, Hungarian Fabian Marozsan upset World No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to improve his impressive ATP Masters 1000 record to 17-7. Marozsan now holds a 5-5 record against Top 10 players.

The 24-year-old will meet 12th seed Ben Shelton or Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round.

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