Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open will crown a first-time Masters 1000 finalist. None of Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe or Brandon Nakashima has reached a final at this level, and one of them will on Sunday. Nakashima’s comeback win over sixth seed Taylor Fritz also set up the first all-American semi-final in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish in 2010. In the women’s draw, Sara Bejlek has now beaten three seeded players including the world No. 1 and is one win from a WTA 1000 final.
Earlier rounds are covered in our quarter-final report, round of 16 report and round of 32 report. Outright angles are on the betting tips page.
A Maiden Masters Finalist Is Guaranteed
This is the rarest thing a Masters 1000 produces: a last four with no previous finalist in it. Flavio Cobolli is in his first semi-final at the level, Frances Tiafoe in his third but his first for two years, Arthur Fils in another, and Brandon Nakashima in back-to-back ones. None has played for a Masters title.
It is the direct consequence of a draw that lost Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz before a ball was struck, then Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton and Casper Ruud in the first week, then top seed Alexander Zverev and second seed Félix Auger-Aliassime on the same day. Cobolli, at a career-high world No. 6, is the highest-ranked man left by some distance.
Nakashima and Tiafoe: the First Since Roddick and Fish
Brandon Nakashima came from a break down in the third set to beat Taylor Fritz 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3, having already taken out Daniil Medvedev from three match points down earlier in the week. Frances Tiafoe beat Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(2), 7-5 to reach his third Masters semi-final and his first since 2024.
Two American men in the Cincinnati semi-finals has not happened since Roddick and Fish in 2010, and it comes in a fortnight where four reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1995. Whoever wins is into a maiden Masters final.
How the Last Four Quarter-Finals Finished
| Through | Beat | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Nakashima (27) | Taylor Fritz (6) | 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 |
| Frances Tiafoe (17) | Lorenzo Musetti (10) | 7-6(2), 7-5 |
| Coco Gauff (4) | Marta Kostyuk (10) | 6-2, 6-2 |
| Sara Bejlek | Madison Keys (20) | 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) |
The Semi-Finals
| Semi-final | The case |
|---|---|
| Flavio Cobolli (7) v Arthur Fils (21) | The highest seed left, at a career-high No. 6, against the man who beat de Minaur and needed just over an hour to end Tirante’s run |
| Brandon Nakashima (27) v Frances Tiafoe (17) | All-American, and the first such Cincinnati semi-final since 2010. Nakashima has beaten Medvedev and Fritz from losing positions |
| Iga Świątek (7) v Jessica Pegula (3) | The defending champion, yet to lose a set, against the survivor of an all-American three-setter |
| Coco Gauff (4) v Sara Bejlek | Gauff’s second Cincinnati semi-final since her 2023 title run, against the week’s biggest story |
Bejlek Has Beaten Three Seeds and the World No. 1
Sara Bejlek arrived ranked outside the world’s top 50 and has removed Barbora Krejčíková in the round of 64, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the last 16, and now Madison Keys 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) from a set down. Three seeded players, one of them the top-ranked woman in the game, and a third-set tie-break to finish.
Coco Gauff is the sternest test yet and beat Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-2 without ever being troubled. But Bejlek has now won three matches she was expected to lose, and the pattern has stopped looking like an accident.
Świątek Defends Without Losing a Set
Iga Świątek has reached the semi-finals having dropped no sets at all, helped at the last by Elena Rybakina‘s retirement with a left heel injury. It is efficient and it is also a question mark: she goes into the closing weekend, and then the US Open, with fewer competitive sets than any other contender.
Jessica Pegula arrives the opposite way, having survived Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4). Świątek has generally controlled this rivalry, but Pegula is the more battle-hardened of the two this week.
Where the Value Sits Now
The men’s market has no reliable anchor. Cobolli is favourite on ranking, but a first-time Masters finalist is guaranteed and none of the four has been here before, which is exactly the situation where prices overstate what form can tell you. The each-way case remains Fils, who has spent the least time on court of the last four.
In the women’s draw Świątek is the shortest price and has the easiest passage on paper, with the caveat above about match sharpness. Sara Bejlek at outright odds is the value play of the tournament for anyone willing to back a run that has already beaten the world No. 1. Full reasoning is on the Cincinnati Open betting tips page. Both singles finals are on Sunday 23 August.
Top Tennis Betting SitesUpdated July 2026 · 18+
Top Rated
#AD. 18+. New customers only. For New Customers. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
#AD. 18+. New customers only. Place a min £10 bet on Sportsbook on odds of min EVS (2.0), get 5x £10 in Free Bet Builders, Accumulators or multiples to use on any sport. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Pay by Bank, Apple Pay or Debit Card will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
#AD. 18+. New customers only. Bet £10 at min odds 2.0 to get 4 x £10 free bets (2 Bet Builder + 2 Acca). 7-day expiry. Debit card only. T&Cs apply.
#AD. 18+. Online only. Ends 31.12.26. New UK customers only, registering with promo code R30. Make your first deposit of £10+, then place a £10 single bet from main balance at odds of 1/2+ on any sports market (excluding Virtuals). Get £30 in Free Bets (3x£10) after settlement. Free Bets expire in 7 days. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply.
Welcome Bonus
In-Play BettingLive StreamingMobile App
#AD. 18+. New customers only. New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on Football at odds of min 1.5 (1/2) and get £50 in Free Bet Builders after the qualifying bet has settled. Rewards valid for 90 days. Only deposits via Pay by Bank, cards & Apple Pay will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
#AD. 18+. New customers only. New customers only. First single & E/W bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 4 X £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org
More Cincinnati Open Coverage
Full cluster: Cincinnati Open hub · Quarter-finals · Round of 16 · Round of 32 · Round of 64 · Betting tips · Prize money · Past champions · How to watch
Feature: Arthur Fery: from Wimbledon wild card to British No. 1
Every event we cover is in the tournaments index, and the dates are in the 2026 tennis calendar.