ATP Tour

Tiafoe ends Nakashima's run, returns to Cincinnati final

Frances Tiafoe advanced to the Cincinnati Open final for the second time in three years on Saturday. The 17th seed defeated Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-3 in an all-American semi-final to book his place in the championship match.

A finalist at the ATP Masters 1000 event in 2024, Tiafoe aims to go one step further this year and claim his biggest career title. The 28-year-old will meet 21st seed Arthur Fils in the final, guaranteeing a first-time ATP Masters 1000 champion.

“It feels pretty damn good,” Tiafoe said when asked about how it feels to be in the final. “I’m really happy with it. It’s been a great week and a great weekend, unexpectedly, so I’m super happy.”

A topsy-turvy opening set featured four consecutive breaks across the opening six games. Tiafoe faced three set points on serve at 4-5, yet saved two of those with forehand winners, eventually holding after an 11-minute rollercoaster. Tiafoe held the advantage in forehand to forehand rallies and worked his way forward in key moments, closing the match after one hour and 42 minutes.

Tiafoe is the third American man this century to reach multiple Cincinnati finals, alongside Andy Roddick (2003, 2005-06) and Mardy Fish (2003, 2010). Up to 12th in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Tiafoe’s 37 tour-level match wins this season is the most among American men.

Seeking his fifth career ATP Tour title, Tiafoe improved to 7-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Nakashima, who holds a season-leading 22 hard-court wins. The winner of Tiafoe and Fils will tie Nakashima at that mark.

Nakashima leaves Ohio with a 12-3 match record across this year’s summer hard-court swing, including a run to the Montreal final, his first at ATP Masters 1000 level. The 25-year-old began working with coach Wayne Ferreira in mid-June. Ferreira coached Tiafoe for three years until the end of 2023.

Fils — who beat seventh seed Flavio Cobolli in Saturday’s first semi-final — defeated Tiafoe in their lone Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, a two-hour, 55-minute battle in the Miami third round last year.

“[It will be] a helluva show,” Tiafoe said. “And hopefully another ‘W’ with that. He’s a helluva player. Moves great, serves great. He has the shotmaking [ability]. He’s going to want it, he’s going to be pumped up, and so am I. May the best man win.”

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