Cincinnati
Tiafoe saves 2 MPs, stuns Rune to succeed in Cincinnati closing
American to play World No. 1 Sinner for the title
August 19, 2024
Dylan Buell/Getty Photos
Frances Tiafoe defeats Holger Rune in three units Sunday night to succeed in the Cincinnati closing.
By ATP Employees
Frances Tiafoe reached his first ATP Masters 1000 closing in dramatic style on Sunday on the Cincinnati Open.
The American rallied from a 2-5 deficit within the third set of his semi-final towards Holger Rune and saved two match factors on serve at 4-5 earlier than rallying previous the fifteenth seed 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4). Tiafoe will face Jannik Sinner, the No. 1 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings, on Monday for the trophy.
“Loopy, loopy. That final set was nuts,” Tiafoe mentioned in his on-court interview. “It bought fairly breezy there on the finish so we have been type of simply taking part in the chances. However yeah, I bought actually fortunate there. I had a pair internet cords, however I additionally battled. I competed actually onerous and put myself in place.”
🌟 The dream continues to be alive 🌟@FTiafoe takes out Rune with a 4-6 6-1 7-6 win to face Sinner within the #CincyTennis closing!@CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/v1Ip4lREMk
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 19, 2024
Tiafoe started the week with a 19-18 report on the season. However he has discovered type in an enormous means below the tutelage of latest coach David Witt, turning into the primary American to succeed in the Cincinnati closing since John Isner in 2013.
Along with his victory, Tiafoe ascended to No. 20 within the PIF ATP Dwell Rankings. When the brand new PIF ATP Rankings are launched, there might be 5 People — Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Tiafoe — contained in the High 20 for the primary time because the week of 24 February 1997.
The followers’ favorite was simply millimetres from dropping. On the primary match level he confronted at 4-5, Tiafoe hit a forehand that clipped the highest of the online and simply popped over to stave off elimination. Rune had one other alternative to shut out the match, however missed a backhand return.
“At 5-3 I performed a extremely robust sport, made returns. The luck goes in your aspect generally. These internet cords made an enormous, large distinction,” Tiafoe mentioned. “Saved one among my match factors like that. However within the breaker I got here up with some good photographs, man. I performed properly, hit some good serves early, didn’t serve nice on the finish. However I battled, I battled and he bought a bit tight. One factor led to a different and right here we’re.”
From there, momentum was firmly within the American’s nook. Rune has top-of-the-line backhands on the planet, however Tiafoe was prepared to commerce blows off that aspect and sometimes got here out higher in these rallies.
The three-time ATP Tour titlist hit a sensational curling backhand passing shot crosscourt to take a 6/3 lead within the final-set tie-break and was capable of seal his victory after two hours and 9 minutes.
Tiafoe hit 13 aces and saved 4 of the six break factors he confronted in response to Infosys ATP Stats. The important thing was second-serve success — the unseeded American received 61 per cent of these factors and Rune solely managed to seize 46 per cent of them.
Sinner leads Tiafoe 3-1 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection and this might be their first match of the season. They most not too long ago clashed final yr in Vienna, the place the Italian received 6-3, 6-4. With that in thoughts, the American mentioned that the highest seed is the favorite, however he’s excited for the chance to battle in entrance of the Cincinnati followers.
“Completely, for positive he’s, proper? He’s misplaced like [five] matches all yr? He’s the favorite in each match he performs, no query about it,” Tiafoe mentioned. “You’ve bought to tip your hat to a man like him.”