Nishioka Knocks Out Tiafoe At Atlanta Open

Yoshihito Nishioka (photo: Atlanta Open)

ATLANTA/STARNBERG, July 27, 2024

Yoshihito Nishioka upset No. 3 seed and last US-American in the draw, Frances Tiafoe, 7-6(2), 6-2 in Friday’s quarterfinals of the Atlanta Open. The 28-year-old Japanese dominated on his serve, winning 78 per cent of points en route to his first ATP Tour semifinal this year.

No. 4 seed Jordan Thompson defeated fifth favourite Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and three minutes, setting the record for the longest match in Atlanta Open tournament history.

“I feel like I’ve played the longest match in tournament history. It was brutally hot. There wasn’t much cloud cover today,” Thompson said. “So if you’re playing at two o’clock, middle of the day, not much cloud cover, it was pretty, pretty tough.”

Chinese qualifier Juncheng Shang and Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech round out the final four in Georgia.

RESULTS – JULY 26, 2024

Singles – Quarterfinals

Y. Nishioka (JPN) d [3] F. Tiafoe (USA) 7-6(2), 6-2

[4] J. Thompson (AUS) d [5] [WC] A. Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3

[Q] J. Shang (CHN) d [8] M. Purcell (AUS) 7-6(3), 6-4

A. Rinderknech (FRA) d [Q] M. Bellucci (ITA) 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1

Doubles – Quarterfinals

A. Goransson (SWE) / S. Verbeek (NED) d [1] M. Purcell (AUS) / J. Thompson (AUS) walkover

[3] J. Cash (GBR) / R. Galloway (USA) d [Alt] H. Hach Verdugo (MEX) / A. Mannarino (FRA) 6-2, 7-6(4)