Paul saves match point to stun Zverev in Cincinnati, sets up Cobolli quarterfinal in wide-open upper half
Tommy Paul saved a match point to stun top seed Alexander Zverev in Cincinnati 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4, becoming the first American to beat a Top 3 seed there since 2013 and reaching his first quarterfinal at the event.
Tommy Paul, Cincinnati 2026 | © ared Wickerham /Wick Photography for Cincinnati Open
American Tommy Paul, the No 18 seed, saved a match point to beat top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 and reach the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals for the first time in his career on Wednesday evening.
It is the first time an American man has beaten a top-three seed in Cincinnati since John Isner defeated top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the 2013 quarterfinals. The win also moved Paul’s head-to-head record with Zverev to 3-1, took his 2026 win tally to 36, and is his third top-10 win of the season (Fritz at Delray Beach, De Minaur in Hambourg).
It is his 50th career tour-level quarterfinal and his eighth at Masters 1000 level.
Hopefully we can keep building and I can peak at the US Open, that would be amazing.
Paul trailed 2-4 in the decider after saving a match point in the second set. He won the second set tie-break 8-6, to level the contest after dropping the opener. “Not really sure. I guess just put some returns in,” he said of the turnaround. “He gave me a couple of looks at second serves and a couple of doubles there that helped me out a ton, and then, you know, just kind of going after the ball a little bit more, going after the second a little bit more and having fun out here.”
The win continues an upward trend through the American hard-court swing after modest results in Washington and Montreal. “Hopefully we can keep building and I can peak at the US Open, that would be amazing,” Paul said. “In DC and Montreal I didn’t play amazing tennis by any means, so I think it was kind of only up from there in a way. We put some hard work in the week before this tournament, and we’ve been trying to pay attention to the details during the matches and trying to get better for sure.”
Paul reached this stage by edging Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and beating Pole Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3, while Zverev, the world No. 3, had beaten Frenchman Terence Atmane 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6) and Englishman Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the tournament.
Paul will next face Italian Flavio Cobolli, the No 7 seed, in what will be just their second career meeting. “It’s a weird one because we played once, I think, only once, and it was here, and it was not a very pretty match at all. I think I had some match points actually,” Paul said. “He’s got an unbelievable forehand, he’s got a great serve, and he moves really well, so we’re gonna have to be ready. We’re looking forward to it.”
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) vs C. O’Connell
- N. Borges vs B. Nakashima (27)
- J. Faria vs L. Musetti (10)
- F. Tiafoe (17) vs F. Auger-Aliassime (2)
