ATP Tour

Nakashima continues hard-court surge, outlasts Fritz in Cincinnati QFs

The North American hard-court swing keeps getting better for Brandon Nakashima.

The American, who last week reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Montreal, is now into his first Cincinnati Open semi-final after upsetting sixth seed Taylor Fritz 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 in a serve-dominated clash. The 25-year-old reeled off the final four games in the third set to seal his two-hour, 13-minute victory. For the first time in his career, Nakashima has reached back-to-back Masters 1000 semi-finals

"Just getting a lot of confidence from all the matches I have been playing," Nakashima, who now owns a Tour-leading 22 wins on hard courts this season, said. "When it came down to the wire in the third set, just tried to trust my game fully and just really proud of how I ended the match."

Fritz had defeated Nakashima in the Dallas final in February and again in the Washington semi-finals just 20 days ago. But in Cincinnati, Nakashima turned the tables on the American, who was aiming to clinch his first Masters 1000 crown since Indian Wells in 2022.

Even though Fritz lost just three points behind his first serve and hammered 14 aces in the first set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, Nakashima held his nerve in the tie-break and outlasted Fritz in the longer rallies. That included a 32-shot exchange at 4/4, which Nakashima won and eventually converted his fifth set point to clinch the opening set, after denying Fritz the opportunity at 6/7.

Despite dropping the opener, Fritz continued to excel behind his deliveries in the second to level the contest, then broke Nakashima's serve to lead 3-2 in the third set. But the 25-year-old refused to let the match slip away, regained his composure on serve and reeled off the final four games to complete the comeback. With the victory, Nakashima improved to 2-4 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

"In the match in Washington against Fritz, I felt like from the baseline I wasn't playing that well," Nakashima said. "Today I was trying to hit the forehand a little bigger and tried staying solid on the backhand and I think that is what got me through."

Nakashima arrived in Ohio fresh from his run to the Montreal final, having also reached the Washington semi-finals earlier this month. The 25-year-old is currently at a career-high No. 22 in the PIF ATP Rankings and, with his latest victory, jumped to a new career-high No. 16 in the Live Rankings. Nakashima will next face countryman Frances Tiafoe for a spot in the final. It marks the first time since 2010 (Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish) that two American men have reached the Cincinnati semi-finals.