Tiafoe knocks out Auger-Aliassime as Cincinnati loses its top two seeds on the same day
Frances Tiafoe’s win over Felix Auger-Aliassime knocked out Cincinnati’s top two seeds in one day, completing a bottom-half quarter-final picture that also pits Taylor Fritz against in-form Brandon Nakashima.
During the 2026 Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on Aug. 16, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Tom Brenner /Wick Photography for Cincinnati Open)
American Frances Tiafoe eliminated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the second seed, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals on Thursday night, a result that saw the tournament’s top two seeds fall on the same day after Alexander Zverev’s loss against Tommy Paul.
Tiafoe, the No 17 seed and ranked No 23, has now won his last four meetings against top-10 opponents, and the victory over Auger-Aliassime was his 17th career win over a top-10 player. It is his sixth Masters 1000 quarterfinal and second at Cincinnati.
Tiafoe will next face Italian Lorenzo Musetti, the No 10 seed, who beat Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 7-5, 6-2, to reach his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal since Rome 2025 and the sixth of his career. The win ended a hot streak for Faria, who had defeated Australian Adam Walton 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3), No 8 seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-4, and American Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 6-2, to reach the fourth round as a qualifier.
In the other half of the bottom draw, American Taylor Fritz, the No 6 seed, beat Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 6-3, for his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal of the season and his first at Cincinnati in three years – his third overall in the tournament and his 31st match win of 2026. With Novak Djokovic (No.3) and Daniil Medvedev (No.4) already eliminated before the round of 16, and Alex de Minaur (No.5) losing on Wednesday, Fritz, Washington champion in July, is now the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw.
Fritz will play American Brandon Nakashima, the No 27 seed, who beat compatriot Nuno Borges 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3, to reach back-to-back Masters 1000 quarterfinals. The pair last met in the Washington semi-finals, where Fritz came out on top in three sets.
Nakashima is the first player ranked outside the ATP top 20 to reach the last eight in Washington, Montreal/Toronto and Cincinnati in a season since Andy Murray in 2006. A week ago, the UTS Rio champion had been 0-5 in Masters 1000 round-of-16s before reaching the final in Montreal; he has now won 11 of his last 13 matches, and Thursday’s win came after he saved three match points in his previous outing. Borges, meanwhile, is now 0-6 in Masters 1000 round-of-16 matches.
Cincinnati Open Masters 1000, round of 16
- T. Paul (18) d. A. Zverev (1): 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
- F. Cobolli (7) d. R. Jodar (12): 4-6, 7-6, 6-3
- T. Tirante d. Mensik (14): 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
- A. Fils (21) d. A. de Minaur (5): 6-3, 6-4
- T. Fritz (6) d. C. O’Connell: 6-4, 6-3
- B. Nakashima (27) d. N. Borges: 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3
- L. Musetti (10) d. J. Faria: 7-5, 6-2
- F. Tiafoe (17) d. F. Auger-Aliassime (2): 6-3, 6-4
