ATP Cincinnati 🇺🇸 Round of 16 Results
Benoit Paire d John Isner 7-6(1) 6-7(2) 6-1
Benoit who? Benoit Paire is back! Isner could not handle Paire, as he has found a new best form. Paire only serving 2 fewer aces, but serving 20 double faults. Both players had their chances, but Paire converted better (4/11) compared to Isner (1/9).
Daniil Medvedev (1) d Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 6-3
Despite a scary fall from the 1st seed, it was Medvedev just proving consistent in his eventual clean sweep of the Bulgarian. Dimitrov showed glimpses of greatness, but the inconsistencies showed, with Medvedev hounding Dimitrov's backhand all match.
Andrey Rublev (4) d Gael Monfils 7-6(2) 7-6(5)
In one of the matches of the day, it was Rublev edging closer to his 9th title, but it was not without a fight and some controversy. Monfils calling an injury timeout in the beginning of the second set, but Rublev calling him out on his bullshit, saying "He's been doing this for last 5-7 years." Rublev came out victorious, and they made up.
Pablo Carreno Busta (7) d Hubert Hurkacz (9) d 7-6(6) 7-6(3)
In another close match with tiebreakers, Hurkacz didn't go out without fight against the Tokyo Bronze Medalist. PCB winning an average of 85% of serves compared to just 64% for the Polish world no 13. PCB faces Medvedev in the QF
Alexander Zverev (3) d Guido Pella 6-2 6-3
The World No. 5 dropped just four points on his first serve and did not face a break point in the one-hour, 13-minute victory. The German said that he is relishing the fast conditions in Cincinnati.
“It’s the fastest court I have played on the whole year. In the first match I was struggling a little with rhythm and timing, but it does suit me with my serve and the power I have, when I decide to use it. Today I felt good out there,” Zverev told Tennis Channel.
Casper Ruud (8) d Diego Schwartzman 6-4 6-3
A semi-finalist this year in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, the Norwegian continues to press his hard-court credentials – and his claim to a maiden berth at the Nitto ATP Finals – by beating Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-3 to reach his second Masters 1000 quarter-final in as many weeks. Before his run to the last eight in Toronto last week, Ruud had never won a hard-court match at the Masters 1000 level.
Rightly known for his clay-court prowess, which reaped three consecutive titles after Wimbledon, Ruud is quietly building his street cred on hard courts. The 22-year-old, who claimed his 100th career match win in the second round this week, reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals of Acapulco before missing the Miami Open through injury.
Against Schwartzman, Ruud did not face a break point and dropped just three points on his first serve. Ruud is eighth in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, and will pull further away from ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz, who fell today to Olympic bronze medallist Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6(6) 7-6(3).
Stefanos Tsitsipas (2) d Lorenzo Sonego 5-7 6-3 6-4
Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to his 5th ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season Thursday night with a fighting win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego at the Western & Southern Open.
"He was going for every single shot and his footwork was close to unbelievable," Tsitsipas said. Things got really difficult in a few moments but I stayed there and waited for the opportunity to present itself." This is something I love about
The Greek notched a Tour-leading 47th match win of the season facing Felix Auger-Aliassime in the QF.
Sonego stunned the second seed with an explosive opening set in which he hit 15 winners to three unforced errors and by winning 87 per cent of first-serve points.
Felix Auger-Aliassime (12) d Matteo Berrettini (5) 6-4 6-3
FAA continues to expunge the disappointment of his opening-round exit on home soil in Toronto last week by charging deeper into the draw at the Western & Southern Open.
"On the court you have to deal with different situations and I was able to find my way through," Auger-Aliassime said.
The World No. 17 on Friday will play second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas as he attempts to reach his second semi-final at this level (Miami 2019).
Playing his first event since missing the Tokyo Olympics with a thigh injury, Berrettini looked below peak fitness and had additional strapping applied to his generously taped left leg after the seventh game of the first set. The Wimbledon finalist’s plight was not helped by him labouring on average for two and a half minutes longer on his service games in the first than his opponent and by him offering up eight break point opportunities.
