Musetti reaches first Cincinnati last 16, ending Zheng’s bid to be first American qualifier there since 1997

Italian Lorenzo Musetti, the No 10 seed, beat American qualifier Michael Zheng 6-1, 6-3 to reach the Cincinnati Open last 16 for the first time in his career on Tuesday evening.

Musetti will next face Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria, who defeated Australian Adam Walton 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

It is Musetti’s third Masters 1000 last-16 of the season, after Madrid and Rome, as the Italian continues working his way back to his best tennis following injury. “One win at a time,” he said after the match.

The result also ended a notable run for Zheng, who had arrived at Cincinnati bidding to become the first American qualifier to reach the tournament’s last 16 since Vince Spadea in 1997.

The 22-year-old, a two-time NCAA singles champion at Columbia University, had picked up the first two Masters 1000 wins of his career this week, beating Frenchman Ugo Humbert, the No 24 seed, 6-4, 6-3, and edging past Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1).

Musetti reached this round by beating German Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-2 in the previous round.

Cincinnati Masters 1000 3rd Round

• A. Zverev (1) vs T. Atmane: 7-6, 7-6
• T. Paul (18) vs A/ Vallejo: 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• R. Jodar (12) vs A. Tabilo (22): 6-2, 6-1
• F. Cobolli (7) vs A. Blockx (28): 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
• T. Tirante vs M. Arnaldi (31): 7-6, 7-6
• Mensik (14) vs R. Hijikata: 6-3, 6-4
• A. Fils (21) vs J. Lehecka (9): 6-1, 6-7, 6-3
• A. de Minaur (5) vs A. Fery (32): 7-5, 7-6
• T. Fritz (6) vs D. Merida: 6-1, 6-7, 6-3
• C. O’Connell d. Fonseca (23): WO
• N. Borges d. A. Rublev (13): 6-3, 6-4
• B. Nakashima (27) d. D. Medvedev (4), 6-7, 7-6, 6-1
• J. Faria d. A. Walton: 4-6, 6-4, 7-6
• L. Musetti (10) d. M. Zheng: 6-1, 6-3
• F. Tiafoe (17) d. L. Tien (16): 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
• F. Auger-Aliassime (2) d. J. Cerundolo: 7-6, 6-4