Frances Tiafoe reaches his second Cincinnati SF within the final three years.
Richard PagliaroAugust 21, 20263 minute learn
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 21, 2026
Picture credit score: Cincinnati Open Fb
Dabbing a dropper, Frances Tiafoe watched the ball splash on the entrance court docket like a splotch of yellow paint on a canvas.
Displaying all-court artistry, Tiafoe stopped the trendy Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(2), 7-5 to succeed in his second Cincinnati Open semifinal within the final three years.
Tiafoe received 27 of 35 journeys to web and greater than doubled Musetti’s winner whole (36 to 17) in beating the Italian for the fourth time in seven conferences.
A Queen Metropolis pleasure experience continues for Tiafoe, who scored his third High 20 win of the match after victories over No. 12 Learner Tien within the third spherical and No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime within the spherical of 16.
The 28-year-old Tiafoe superior to his third ATP Masters 1000 semifinal—and first since he contested the 2024 Cincinnati closing. All this from the American who had a cyst faraway from his racquet hand earlier this month, briefly leaving his Cincinnati standing doubtful.
The dynamic Tiafoe will face compatriot Brandon Nakashima in tomorrow night time’s all-American semifinal of pleasant foes.
Earlier, Nakashima pumped 13 aces and saved 4 of six break factors toppling Taylor Fritz 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 to cost into his third straight semifinal. Montreal finalist Nakashima is the primary American man to succeed in semifinals in Canada and Cincinnati in the identical season since Mardy Fish in 2011.
The Seventeenth-seeded Tiafoe has received six of seven conferences vs. Nakashima.
The Italian swung a giant serve extensive to go up 2-1 within the tiebreaker vs. Tiafoe tonight.
Then Tiafoe turned it up, utterly tearing by way of six factors in a row.
Pouncing on a shallow second serve, Tiafoe crushed his return and hit a excessive forehand volley for 4-2, flicked a fantastic forehand return crosscourt then fired his fourth ace out extensive for a fistful of set level.
An assertive Tiafoe received 13 of 16 journeys to web and hit 10 extra winners—18 to eight—within the 75-minute opener.
Mix the quick ft, gentle fingers and mischievous minds for absurd angles each males possess and also you get a pulsating all-court alternate we noticed within the third recreation. Musetti ran down a Tiafoe dropper, angled off a reply and prolonged the purpose solely to see the American take a backhand drive volley down the road. That rousing sequence helped Tiafoe break for a 2-1 second-set lead.
Swiping a forehand swing volley, Tiafoe confirmed the break for 3-1.
The Tiafoe forehand is based on an elaborate backswing, however the Foe forehand was firing as he sustained the break.
Serving for the semifinal at 5-4, a jittery Tiafoe opened the sport with a double fault. Tiafoe got here again to earn a match level, however missed his two-hander. A lunging Musetti prolonged some extent on a ball behind him incomes break level when Tiafoe shoveled a half volley into web. Drawing a netted response, Musetti broke again with a shout.
Shaking off that setback, Tiafoe got here proper again with a smash to arrange a intelligent angled drop volley winner for break level. Tiafoe induced an errant backhand to interrupt once more for 6-5.
Attacking with intent, Tiafoe carved a superb backhand drop volley for 3 extra match factors.
A dashing Musetti darted a forehand cross to save lots of a second match level then drove a deep return to save lots of a 3rd match level.
On match level No. 4, Tiafoe despatched a slice serve down the T to shut a 7-6, 7-5 victory to surge into the Cincinnati semifinals for the second time within the final three years.
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