Tennis News

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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Zverev clinches 50th win of season, advances in Cincinnati

Alexander Zverev became the first player to earn 50 tour-level wins this season on Thursday at the Cincinnati Open, where he overcame Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 for an opening win at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The German dominated throughout the 78-minute clash and coped with a 10-minute rain delay in the second set. The 27-year-old hugged the baseline to strike 16 winners compared to nine from Khachanov, improving to 5-2 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“I felt well on the court,” Zverev said. “I have felt well in practise and then it is easier to bring on court. I didn’t feel well in Canada at all, even in the few matches I won. I hope my form is getting better and better and I can play some good tennis.

“We are very similar players. We are both very tall and good baseline players and when we are both playing it is about form and who is playing better and today I am happy that it was me and I got a good win today.”

Zverev, who lifted the trophy in Cincinnati in 2021, will play Australian Max Purcell or Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the third round.

Zverev has earned at least 50 tour-level wins in a season five times in his career, having also hit the milestone in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2023. Earlier this year, the No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings won his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome and will be eager to add to that total in Ohio, where he is the third seed.

“It has been a good year but I have had some very tough losses that I have had to take,” Zverev said. “It is about learning and improving and hopefully I can get back to a Grand Slam final and hopefully win it.”

2024 Win Leaders

*Compete later on Thursday

A deep run in Cincinnati 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.

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Monfils on Alcaraz: 'I see him as Novak, as Rafa, as Roger'

Gael Monfils lives for showtime moments. That is exactly what he will experience Thursday evening at the Cincinnati Open when he plays second seed Carlos Alcaraz.

Monfils and Alcaraz are two of the most entertaining players on the ATP Tour and they never leave fans short of a good time. The Frenchman has the utmost respect for this year’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion.

“Big, obviously, big. He is a complete athlete, a tonne of speed, endurance, power, and then his tennis, of course, is quite complete too,” Monfils said. “Backhand, forehand, it’s quite hard to see where you can sit [and wait]. He improved a lot in the return, serving big. He’s just a really, really complete player.”

Alcaraz is in a key part of the season. The 21-year-old is second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is trying to position himself for his battle with first-placed Jannik Sinner for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.

Already a four-time major champion, the Spaniard has impressed Monfils.

“At that moment, of course, I see him as Novak, as Rafa, as Roger,” Monfils said. “So for me, he’s just a little bit younger, but he is already [like] those legends.”

Alcaraz leads Monfils 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series with both victories coming in straight sets, including one earlier this year in Miami. But Monfils, the former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, always cherishes the opportunity to play an opponent like Alcaraz.

“For me, it’s always cool to play such a big star like Carlos or Jannik,” Monfils said. “Of course, my age it was Novak or whoever, but to play those youngsters, it’s always a pleasure. Tomorrow, it’s going to be great fun for me. Obviously, really tough. But it’s going to be something that, of course, I will remember in a couple years.”

Whether by the practice court, post match or anywhere else on the grounds, Monfils is still a fans’ favourite. The Frenchman will try to thrill them again at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre.

“I love the fans. I love the energy,” Monfils said. “Every time. I always say when I come back to the States, it’s always feels like a second home for me.”

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Draper on playing with Sinner, Murray's farewell & more

It has been a memorable few weeks for Jack Draper in an unforgettable season for the Briton.

The lefty competed in the Olympics for the first time in Paris, where he enjoyed a front-row seat to the final event of Andy Murray’s career.

“lt was amazing. Andy’s been such a role model and an inspiration for me throughout the years,” Draper said. “I think to be at his last event was incredible. Obviously, what he’s done for the sport and done for British tennis, hopefully I can take it forward from here.”

Draper has reached new heights in 2024, ascending to a career-high No. 26 in the PIF ATP Rankings in July and claiming his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart. But a memory that will stick out despite a second-round loss in singles is spending time with Murray and his teammates in Paris.

“To be a part of the team and to be at his last event, having watched when he was younger, what he’s achieved and stuff, that was really special and a real honour for me,” Draper said. “Hopefully, he’s going to stick around and not be a stranger. He’ll still be around and give advice and be a good friend.”

That was not Draper’s only fun experience lately. In Montreal, the Briton partnered World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in doubles. They won two matches together at the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 event.

“He’s such a good player, but more importantly, an incredible human being. [He is] very genuine, funny, and that’s the reason why we wanted to play together. I think we’re good friends,” Draper said. “We always say hi to each other. We always support each other regardless of results. It’s nice to sort of have that camaraderie and stuff, and even though hopefully we will be close rivals.”

Draper won his only previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Sinner in two tie-breaks at the 2021 cinch Championships. Since then, both men have soared up the PIF ATP Rankings and vastly improved their games.

“He’s someone I have huge respect for, and I think he’s doing incredibly well in the sport,” Draper said. “He’s one of those guys who’s showing us the way. So to play with him was a real honour, and to play with the No. 1 in the world was huge as well.”

This year’s Adelaide finalist needed two hours and 33 minutes to claw past Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) for a place in the Cincinnati Open second round. He lost his opening match in Montreal to in-form Australian Jordan Thompson.

“Obviously coming from the Olympics, I haven’t had too much time on the hard courts,” Draper said. “So last week was a real challenge, having to compete after just three or four days on the hard, especially going from the grass, then clay, then to the hard. But I had a tough last week, and it was really difficult to sort of accept. But I played really good doubles with Jannik, a couple of matches, and came here and just kept on trying to put in the work.”

Draper has a chance to earn an upset victory on Thursday against ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. Win or lose, he is excited to continue pushing his game forward.

“My tennis isn’t the prettiest at the moment,” Draper said. “I think it’s tough conditions here, everyone finds a little bit difficult because the ball flies through the air very quickly. But in general happy with the way I fought today and happy to come through.”

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Thompson the Tiger! Rugby-loving Aussie on training with his favourite NRL team

Jordan Thompson has plenty of highlights to look back on across his ATP Tour career so far.

A high of No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings, one singles title and six doubles crowns on the ATP Tour, and four victories against Top 10 opponents all feature on his tennis resume. Yet for the Australian, perhaps the thrill of all those achievements pales in comparison with one summer’s day in Sydney earlier this year.

A rugby league fanatic, Thompson was invited to join a training session with his beloved National Rugby League (NRL) side, Wests Tigers. He didn’t need asking twice.

“Honestly, when I finished, I went out for dinner and drinks at the end of the night, and I was like, ‘That was the best day of my life’,” Thompson told ATPTour.com. “I guess I’d always looked up to the coaches that were there, and they were running the show, and they were so welcoming.

“They let me join in on pretty much everything apart from the full-on game. I didn’t want a part of that anyway, I would have got destroyed! But I got to play, and it was honestly the best experience of my life.”

Thompson has previously stated that if he had not become a tennis player, he would have played rugby. So how did his skills match up compared to the Tigers’ roster?

“I don’t think they were too bad,” said the Sydneysider. “Obviously, I’m a lot smaller than them, but I think if I played rugby league, I’d try and beef up. I think I went okay, my speed was alright, my stamina was probably at the top end. I guess it was like I was on the court, trying to be pretty solid.”

Although life travelling the world on the ATP Tour can make being a committed NRL fan difficult, Thompson’s passion for the Tigers often overrides barriers such as tricky time zones or an inconveniently scheduled tennis match.

“I [get up in the mornings] to watch it,” he said. “I haven’t missed a game yet. And if it’s on at like, 3 a.m. I’ll turn my phone off, I won’t check any messages until I watch the game.

“Last year when I went back [to Australia], I went to a game in the middle of winter, and they won [66-18]. So it’s like the record that they’ve put on, and I was there to see it. It was pretty cool, so I guess I have to get back more often.”

Thompson’s support has been reciprocated in the past by the Tigers, who celebrated on social media in 2022 when he helped Australia reach its first Davis Cup final for 19 years.

Finals bound! 👏🏼🐯 @jordanthommmo2 @TennisAustralia #showyourstripes https://t.co/lYwwzIjvPc

— Wests Tigers (@WestsTigers) November 25, 2022

Thompson’s love of rugby has hardly distracted him from going from strength to strength on the tennis court. On Friday, he will attempt to notch his second match win against a No. 1-ranked opponent when he takes on Jannik Sinner in the third round at the Cincinnati Open. The 30-year-old’s previous win against a top-ranked player came against Andy Murray at Queen’s Club in 2017, but he can also look to a more recent victory against another great of the game for extra confidence.

In the opening week of the 2024 season, Thompson ended Rafael Nadal’s comeback run in the quarter-finals in Brisbane, where he saved three match points en route to defeating the Spanish lefty. The victory set the tone for what has been the best season of the 30-year-old’s career.

“Yeah, that gave me a lot of confidence, beating Rafa in Australia, in a quarter-final of the first week of the year, it’s pretty special,” reflected Thompson, who went on to lift his maiden ATP tour singles title in February in Los Cabos and is now 28-19 for 2024. “You put in all the hard yards during the offseason and then to get rewarded like that was very special. But not only like that, the guy has won over 20 Grand Slams.

“I know he was coming back from injury, but you’ve still got to beat him. I was in primary school when he was first winning Grand Slams, so to share the court with him was special and then to beat him was even more special. I’ve played him a few times, he got the better of me then, but also, I was a little bit more experienced now and he was coming back from injury. That made it a little bit easier for me, but it was still incredibly tough.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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