Tenth-seeded Frances Tiafoe was compelled to retire on Wednesday during his fourth-round match at the Cincinnati Open in Mason, Ohio, due to a lower-back injury. He was trailing 4-6, 1-3 against Denmark’s seventh seed, Holger Rune, when he ended his participation.
Tiafoe began the match strongly, capturing the first three games in succession. However, his momentum shifted dramatically as he dropped six of the following seven games. He took a medical timeout while trailing 4-5 in the first set and ultimately retired down a break in the second set, unable to continue.
Holger Rune Dominates Despite Early Close Contest
Throughout the shortened encounter, Rune exhibited impressive play, winning 90 percent of his first-serve points (19 of 21). He also recorded 24 winners compared to Tiafoe’s 10, showcasing a significant edge in offensive production.
Reflecting on Tiafoe’s condition during the match, Rune commented,
“From 4-4, when I got the break, and at 5-4, when he had the medical timeout, that’s when I felt something was not right with him and after, obviously, I could see he was struggling a little bit,”
Rune said.
“As the game is, I tried to move him as much as possible. It’s never nice to finish a match like this and I wish him the best recovery.”
Weather Interruptions Affect Tournament Schedule
The Cincinnati Open faced multiple weather delays, with Tuesday evening’s play suspended due to rain and additional interruptions occurring on Wednesday. Despite these challenges, some top seeds demonstrated resilience and focus to advance through their matches.
Italian top seed Jannik Sinner overcame Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 7-6 (4), while American fifth seed Ben Shelton defeated Spain’s Roberto Bautista-Agut 7-6 (3), 6-3, both navigating the nearly three-hour rain delay without evident disruption.
Notable Players Progressing into Later Rounds
Sinner’s win marked a milestone as he became only the fourth player since 1990 to reach nine consecutive ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinals, joining elite players Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Meanwhile, Germany’s third seed Alexander Zverev needed just one game on Wednesday to complete his victory over Brandon Nakashima after their Tuesday night match suspension.
Zverev was scheduled to face Russian Karen Khachanov later on Wednesday. Canada’s 23rd seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also advanced by defeating France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 6-3, setting up a quarterfinal showdown with Sinner.
Upcoming Quarterfinal Matches Set Following Wednesday’s Play
Other key matches on Wednesday evening included Spain’s second seed Carlos Alcaraz taking on Italy’s Lucas Nardi; American fourth seed Taylor Fritz facing France’s Terance Atmane; and Russian ninth seed Andrey Rublev competing against Argentina’s Francisco Comesana. The winner between Fritz and Atmane is slated to challenge Holger Rune in the quarterfinals.
Injury Impact on Tiafoe’s Cincinnati Open Campaign
Frances Tiafoe’s Cincinnati retirement due to a lower-back injury represents a significant setback for the American player at this ATP Masters 1000 event. This withdrawal ended his promising run in the tournament and raises concerns regarding his physical condition going forward. The injury could affect his preparations for upcoming tournaments if recovery time is necessary.
Meanwhile, Rune’s advance into the quarterfinals maintains his momentum in the competition, while other leading seeds continue to vie intensely for the title as the tournament approaches its final rounds in Mason, Ohio.