A first-time ATP Masters 1000 champion will be crowned at the Cincinnati Open after Brandon Nakashima took out Taylor Fritz.
With world No 1 Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz absent due to injury, the field was further decimated with big names like Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev losing early.
Fritz, who won the 2022 Indian Wells Open, was the last Masters winner standing, but his run was ended by fellow American Nakashima in the quarter-final with the 25-year-old on course to reach back-to-back ATP 1000 finals following his runners-up finish at the Canadian Open.
“Just getting a lot of confidence from all the matches I have been playing,” Nakashima said after his 7-6 (11-9), 4-6, 6-3 win in two hours and 13 minutes. “When it came down to the wire in the third set, just tried to trust my game fully and just really proud of how I ended the match.”
Live ATP Rankings (22 August)
Nakashima reached a new high of No 22 in the official ATP Rankings after finishing runner-up to Ben Shelton in Montreal and he is now set to crack the top 20 with his run to the semi-final in Cincinnati.
The American has jumped six places to No 16 with his last win and he could move as high as No 11 if he reaches the final.
ATP News
But he will have to get past another compatriot if he is to secure back-to-back Masters finals, as he will take on Frances Tiafoe – who defeated 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (7-2), 7-5 – in the last four.
Seventeenth seed Tiafoe has peaked at No 10 in the rankings, but he struggled the past year and dropped out of the top 30 earlier this year.
But he has found his rhythm again and started the Cincinnati Open at No 23, but he will be back inside the top 20 next week as his win over Musetti earned him a five-place jump.
Like Nakashima, he can also rise to No 11, but he will need to win the title.
“I just gotta play to win. We’re all just [searching for that] one per cent, trying to figure it out,” Tiafoe said.
“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.”
Cobolli and Fils will contest the other semi-final and the Italian has climbed six places to a new career-high of No 6 in the Live Rankings with his three-set win over Tommy Paul.
If he gets the better of Fils then he will move into the top 5 while the Frenchman is up seven places to No 14, equalling his career high.
Fils defeated Thiago Agustín Tirante in straight sets and he will jump to No 11 if he reaches his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final.
