Fils-Tiafoe: The Cincinnati Final, Cobolli and Nakashima's Runs Ends

Arthur Fils beat Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and seven minutes to reach the first Masters 1000 final of his career. The Frenchman, seeded 21st, waited about forty minutes through rain and lightning before taking the court. He then dropped serve in the third game, broke straight back in the fourth, and landed the decisive break in the eighth, never letting Cobolli back in. It's his seventh career final, his third of 2026.

Cobolli leaves Ohio with the best ranking of his career. From Monday, August 24, he'll be world number 6: he arrived in Cincinnati at number 10 and came back from a set down against Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In the other semifinal Frances Tiafoe beat Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-3 in an hour and forty-two minutes. The first set brought four consecutive breaks in the opening six games, then Tiafoe started holding serve when it mattered and closed it out 7-5. He cruised through the second.

It's the second Cincinnati final in three years for the 28-year-old American, who lost the title match to Sinner in 2024. Nakashima got there after eliminating Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3; Tiafoe had beaten Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(2), 7-5.

Sunday's final will still crown a first-time Masters 1000 champion.