CINCINNATI/WASHINGTON, August 22, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
No. 6 seed Taylor Fritz, the highest-remaining seed at the Cincinnati Open – and the only former ATP Masters 1000 champion left in the field after winning the Indian Wells title in 2022 – took a 4-1 head-to-head lead into his quarterfinal-round match with fellow American and 27th-seed Brandon Nakashima in the opening quarterfinal match on Friday afternoon.
Fritz beat Nakashima to win the Dallas Open title in February, then followed it up earlier this month with a victory during the semifinals of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, D.C. This time, the World No. 9 Fritz looked to reach his first Cincinnati semifinal in his third try.
However, by the end of the two-hour, 13-minute skirmish between two of the heaviest right-handed hitters on the ATP Tour, it was the 22nd-ranked Nakashima who seized the moment on P & G Stadium Court. He rallied from a break down in the final set and beat Fritz, 7-6 (9), 4-6, 6-3, to advance to his second-straight ATP Masters 1000 semifinal after his run to the Montreal finals last week. That’s a career-first for Nakashima, who earned his 22nd hard-court victory and improved his overall win-loss record to 31-16. Fritz dropped to 31-15.
Big time Brandon🌟@b_nakashima is the 1st American man to reach the SFs of Canada and Cincinnati in the same season since Fish in 2011.#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/rl0BPiWOjZ
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 21, 2026
The 25-year-old Nakashima, who will make his Top 20 debut on Monday after reaching No. 16 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings following his triumph over Fritz, became the first American man to reach the semifinals of both Canada and Cincinnati in a single season since Mardy Fish in 2011. Credit his tenacity in the final set against Fritz, in which he came from a break down at 3-2 to win the last four games of the quarterfinal match.
Nakashima struck 25 winners – including 13 aces – and won 85 percent (51 of 60) of his first-serve points. He saved four of six break points and converted two of three break-point opportunities – all of them coming in the final set against Fritz. Nakashima and Fritz tied in total points with 97 each. By comparison, Fritz struck 41 winners – including 22 aces – but also committed 34 unforced errors.
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During his on-court interview, Nakashima was asked by ATP Media interviewer Richard Connolly what he thought gave him the ability to seize the opportunity and pull a victory out from what appeared to be a sure defeat against Fritz.
“Just getting a lot of confidence from all the matches I have been playing,” said Nakashima, whose victory over Fritz was his second this week against a Top-10 foe after upsetting No. 4 seed Daniil Medvedev in the third round. “When it comes down to the wire in the third set, just trying to trust my game fully and just really proud of how I ended the match.”
Nakashima, who persevered through some very long rallies against Fritz, including a 32-shot exchange during the first-set tie-break, learned the value of patience throughout the rest of the quarterfinal.
“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.”
🌟 THE SUMMER OF BRANDON 🌟@CincyTennis | #CincyTennis | @b_nakashima pic.twitter.com/OlEF0KiTiW
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 21, 2026
Tiafoe sets all-American semifinal against Nakashima
In Saturday’s semifinal round, Nakashima will face another American, No. 17 seed Frances Tiafoe. In Friday’s last quarterfinal, the 23rd-ranked Tiafoe fought off World No. 15 and 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, 7-6 (2), 7-5, in two hours and 17 minutes on P & G Stadium Court.
With Tiafoe’s victory, it marks the first time two American men have reached the Cincinnati Open semifinals since Fish and Andy Roddick in 2010. Tiafoe also tied Tommy Paul for most wins among American men this season (35) and became the fourth man to record eight Top-20 victories this season, after Jannik Sinner (13), Carlos Alcaraz (8) and Thiago Agustin Tirante (8).
FRIDAY NIGHT FOE 🔥
2024 runner-up @FTiafoe battles past Musetti 7-6 7-5 to reach the semi-finals! #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/2bBtTM5rkK
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 22, 2026
Tiafoe overcame 38 unforced errors by hitting 36 winners and converted three of eight break points. He dropped just five points on his first serve, winning 86 percent (31 of 36) of his first-serve points. He outpointed Musetti 93-82, winning on his second match-point opportunity.
The loss prevented Musetti from achieving his biggest hard-court semifinal of career and to become the fifth man born in the 2000s to reach four ATP Masters 1000 semifinals. Meanwhile, Tiafoe has advanced to his third ATP Masters 1000 semifinal (after Indian Wells in 2023 and Cincinnati in 2024). With his victory, Tiafoe has reached No. 16 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and he’s also the fourth American man to reach multiple Cincinnati semifinals this century.
“I just gotta play to win,” Tiafoe said during his on-court interview. “We’re all just [searching for that] one per cent, trying to figure it out. The guy who plays a little more brave at certain moments gets it. I was hitting my shots great tonight. From the back of the court I’ve been playing really well, so I was counting on that.”
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Around the Cincinnati Open
After Friday’s doubles quarterfinal-round action, only one seeded team remains going into Saturday’s semifinals. No. 2 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, have enjoyed past success in Cincinnati. They won the 2021 title, and Granollers was a 2013 finalist with past partner Marc Lopez.
Granollers and Zelallos advanced to the last four with a 6-3, 7-6 (8) win over singles stars Luciano Darderi of Italy and Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina in an hour and 38 minutes on the Grandstand Court. The Spanish/Argentine duo saved both break points they faced in holding serve during all 11 of their service games. They outpointed their opponents 70-63.
Next, Granollers and Zeballos will face alternates Constantin Frantzen of Germany and Robin Haase of the Netherlands. The German/Dutch pair won a pair of tie-break sets over France’s Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3), in one hour and 41 minutes on Tony Trabert Stadium 3. Frantzen and Haase outpointed their opponents 76-65.
In the other half of the draw, Hugo Nys of Monaco and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France pulled out a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 11-9 victory over Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul of France in one hour and 59 minutes on Tony Trabert Stadium 3. Nys and Roger-Vasselin outpointed their French opponents 72-71.
In Saturday’s semifinal round, Nys and Roger-Vasselin will face Brazilians Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos, who are coming off winning the ATP Masters 1000 title at Montreal last week. Luz and Matos defeated No. 4 seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy, 7-6 (7), 6-3. The Brazilians saved four of five break points and outpointed their Italians 66-64.
Friday’s Cincinnati Open results
Saturday’s Cincinnati Open order of play
By the numbers
Coming into Friday’s quarterfinal action, Brandon Nakashima was tied with Jakub Mensik with 21 hard-court victories. Now, he’s 22-9 after defeating Taylor Fritz to reach the semifinal round.
“Quotable …”
“I’m really looking forward to playing against Flavio. He has had an unbelievable year. He is playing is best tennis. It is going to be a nice match. He is going to go for me and I am going to go for him. We’re going to enjoy it.”
– No. 21 seed Arthur Fils of France, during his on-court interview after defeating Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina Thursday to advance to Saturday’s semifinal round against No. 7 seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy.
