CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Open delivered another wave of major upsets Friday as Brandon Nakashima knocked out fellow American Taylor Fritz and Czech qualifier Sara Bejlek continued her remarkable run by eliminating Madison Keys.
Nakashima, the No. 27 seed, battled past sixth-seeded Fritz 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 to book his place in the semifinals of the ATP Masters 1000 event. The victory extended a remarkable North American hard-court run that has rapidly turned Nakashima into one of the tournament’s biggest stories.
The match was anything but straightforward.
Fritz blasted 22 aces, but Nakashima repeatedly found ways to stay in the contest. Fritz also committed 31 unforced errors, and after taking an early advantage in the deciding set, he could not hold off Nakashima’s comeback.
Nakashima broke back to level the third set at 3-3 before breaking again to move ahead 5-3. He then served out the match to complete one of the biggest wins of his Cincinnati campaign.
The result is particularly significant given Nakashima’s form since Wimbledon.
The American reached the semifinals in Washington, lost to Fritz in that tournament, then advanced to the final in Montreal before making his deepest Cincinnati run yet. With the US Open now little more than a week away, his surge has added another intriguing storyline to the American men’s field.
And there was an even bigger surprise waiting in the women’s draw.
Bejlek Keeps Giant-Killing Run Alive
Unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek continued her stunning Cincinnati campaign by coming from a set down to defeat former Australian Open champion Madison Keys 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).
The 20-year-old’s victory came just days after she stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, making her back-to-back wins over elite opposition at one of the season’s biggest tournaments.
Bejlek’s comeback against Keys was especially dramatic. After dropping the opening set, she fought back to force a decider and then recovered from a 4-2 deficit in the final-set tiebreak to complete the upset.
That victory sends Bejlek into her first Cincinnati semifinal, where she will face fourth-seeded American Coco Gauff.
Gauff advanced by defeating 10th-seeded Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-2, setting up a fascinating contrast between the established American star and the Czech breakthrough performer who has already eliminated two major names.
Another All-American Battle Awaits
Nakashima will face another American in the semifinals: Frances Tiafoe.
Tiafoe earned his place in the final four by defeating 10th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(2), 7-5. The result sets up an all-American semifinal with Nakashima at a tournament where American men’s tennis has suddenly become one of the central storylines.
Tiafoe had already produced a major statement earlier in the tournament by defeating second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-4.
Meanwhile, the other men’s semifinal will feature Flavio Cobolli against Arthur Fils. Cobolli came from a set down to defeat Tommy Paul, while Fils advanced past Thiago Agustin Tirante in straight sets.
Why the Cincinnati Upsets Matter
The timing could hardly be more significant.
The Cincinnati Open is the final major Masters 1000 stop before the US Open, meaning performances in Ohio can provide a major confidence boost heading into the year’s final Grand Slam.
For Nakashima, the win over Fritz represents another step in what has quickly become a breakout hard-court stretch.
For Bejlek, however, the story is even more dramatic.
She arrived in Cincinnati as an unseeded player. She has now eliminated the world’s No. 1 player and a former Australian Open champion in consecutive rounds — and she is still alive in the tournament.
With Gauff waiting in the semifinals, Bejlek’s improbable run is about to face another major test.
And if she keeps winning, Cincinnati may no longer be remembered simply as the tournament where the favorites stumbled.
It could become the event where a new tennis star announced herself to the world.
Key Results
- Brandon Nakashima def. Taylor Fritz: 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3
- Sara Bejlek def. Madison Keys: 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)
- Coco Gauff def. Marta Kostyuk: 6-2, 6-2
- Frances Tiafoe def. Lorenzo Musetti: 7-6(2), 7-5
- Nakashima semifinal opponent: Frances Tiafoe
- Bejlek semifinal opponent: Coco Gauff
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