A blockbuster struggle between Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe heads the fourth round line-up in the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday. Jannik Sinner continues his campaign against qualifying Adrian Mannarino.
(10) Frances Tiafoe vs. (7) Holger Rune
It will be a rematch of the semi -finals of Cincinnati from 2024 when Rune and Tiafoe meet again at the Western & Southern Open, this time during the campaign of the fourth round on Wednesday. Last year’s confrontation was an absolute thriller, in which Tiafoe the ruling 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) ruled on the way to second place. Surprisingly, that marks that the only earlier meeting between these two players.
The next chapter must be a good again. Rune has not been at its best since the title of Barcelona in May, but the ninth ranked Dane looked good these fourteen days with straight victories over Roman Safiullin and Alex Michelsen. The North American Hard-Court Swing has always been Tiafoe’s favorite time of the year. The US Open Semifinalist 2022 and 2024 comes from a quarter -final performance in Washington, DC and a fourth round in Toronto. So far he has easily thrown away Roberto Carballes Baena and Ugo Humbert in Cincinnati. In this setting it is difficult to choose from the 14th ranking American with someone other than Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz on the other side of the net.
Pick: Tiafoe in 3
(1) Jannik Sinner vs. (Q) Adrian Mannarino
It was the sinner who put Tiafoe in last summer’s championship match and the best-ranking Italian certainly looks like the favorite to go back-to-back in Cincy. After he was searched for Wimbledon, Sinner understandably skipped the Toronto masters. Charged, the 23-year-old has so far demanded these fourteen days with straight defeats of Daniel Elahi Galan and Gabriel Diallo.
The next one for Sinner is a fourth game against Mannarino, which follows the head-to-head series 3-0 overall (2-0 on hard tracks outside) and 6-1 in total sets. They were most recently opposed to each other on the 2023 Indian Wells Masters, where Sinner had the upper hand 7-6 (7), 6-4. Mannarino can frustrate every opponent (even sinner), but he has already played five games in Cincinnati (two in qualifying) and his Monday evening fight with Tommy Paul required two hours and 39 minutes to be decided. It has been a great tournament for the 37-year-old Frenchman, but this is almost certainly where it ends.
Choose: Sinner in 2
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