The round of 16 in Cincinnati was a mixed bag of solid wins by the top seeds, a big upset and two more mid-match retirements, meaning there have been 7 and counting so far.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both powered into the quarter-finals in straight sets, with the defending champion overcoming a crafty Adrian Mannarino after a lengthy rain delay, and the Spaniard producing his sharpest performance of the week to oust lucky loser Luca Nardi.
Qualifier Terence Atmane stole the headlines by toppling fourth seed Taylor Fritz in three sets, continuing his dream run, while Holger Rune advanced when Frances Tiafoe retired early in the second set with a back issue. Alexander Zverev moved past Karen Khachanov, who pulled the plug down a set and a double break.
The day also began with Ben Shelton completing his rain-delayed third-round win over Roberto Bautista Agut, and he’ll face Jiri Lehecka tomorrow in the sold remaining round of the 16-match.
Full recap from day seven below.
Day Seven Cincinnati Open 2025 Round of 16 Results
| Winner | Loser | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner (1) | Adrian Mannarino (Q) | 6-4 7-6(4) |
| Felix Auger-Aliassime (23) | Benjamin Bonzi | 6-4 6-3 |
| Terence Atmane (Q) | Taylor Fritz (4) | 3-6 7-5 6-3 |
| Holger Rune (7) | Frances Tiafoe (10) | 6-4 3-1 RET |
| Alexander Zverev (3) | Karen Khachanov (14) | 7-5 3-0 RET |
| Andrey Rublev (9) | Francisco Comesana | 6-2 6-3 |
| Carlos Alcaraz (2) | Luca Nardi (LL) | 6-1 6-4 |
Key Matches
Carlos Alcaraz def. Luca Nardi, 6-1, 6-4
Carlos Alcaraz stormed into the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a 6-1, 6-4 rout of lucky loser Luca Nardi.
Alcaraz hadn’t overly impressed in his opening matches, but this was his best so far, making a rapid start and then recovering 2-4 down in the second set to seize control. The Spaniard next faces Andrey Rublev.
I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament. At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match. I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved. Alcaraz on his win.
Jannik Sinner def. Adrian Mannarino, 6-4, 7-6(4)
Jannik Sinner maintained his bid to defend the title by defeating qualifier Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 7-6(4) to reach the quarter-finals.
Mannarino always gives opponents something to think about, and alongside his crafty game, Sinner was also tested by a two-hour, 45-minute rain delay.
However, it’s now 4-0 in the H2H and Sinner’s ball striking is too solid, with the only real blemish on yesterday being when he failed to serve out the match at 6-5.
He is a very tough opponent. Very different from other opponents, not only because he is a lefty but how he hits the ball. It is very low. I just tried to serve well and tried to see what I could do in the return games. He was serving very well, especially on the Ad side, on the wide one was very precise. I changed the position, trying to make him feel uncomfortable. I struggled a bit to close it out, but this can happen in this sport and I am very happy to be in the next round. Sinner on his win.
Alexander Zverev def. Karen Khachanov, 7-5, 3-0 (Ret.)
Alexander Zverev advanced when 14th seed Karen Khachanov retired at 7-5, 3-0 after 70 minutes, hampered by an undisclosed injury.
The 2021 champion, avenging his Toronto semi-final loss to Khachanov, broke late in the first set and dominated early in the second before the stoppage.
Sascha has been serving superbly so far, again winning 80% behind his first serve, and he’ll need to keep that up against Shelton or Lehecka in the quarter finals.
Terence Atmane def. Taylor Fritz, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Qualifier Terence Atmane shocked fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.
The Frenchman fired 13 aces and won 82% of first-serve points, and despite his non-existent record on tour this season, he’s run through Nishioka, Cobolli, and Fonseca as he looks to replicate a Borna Coric-type tournament from 2022.
Highlights
Cincinnati Open 2025 Day 8 Quarter Final Matches
Round of 16
- Ben Shelton (5) vs Jiri Lehecka (22)
Quarter Finals
- Jannik Sinner (1) vs Felix Auger-Aliassime (23)
- Terence Atmane (Q) vs Holger Rune (7)
