CINCINNATI — Four American men reached the ATP Cincinnati Open semifinals on Thursday for the first time since 1995.
Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima and Frances Tiafoe all won their quarterfinal matches. The last time the U.S. placed four men in the final four here was when Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier did it.
Paul’s 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4) victory over a top-10 opponent was the anchor. It marked his first Masters 1000 semifinal on hard courts.
The 29-year-old has now won 12 matches across two weeks. He reached the Toronto quarterfinals last week. No physical decline has surfaced.
His service games held at 85% this week in Cincinnati. He won all three tiebreaks he played.
Fritz overpowered his opponent with 14 aces. Nakashima continued his steady rise with a straight-sets win. Tiafoe’s athletic defense forced 22 unforced errors from his rival.
The 1995 generation dominated an entire era. This quartet faces a deeper field.
| Player | Cincinnati QF Result | Service Games Won | 2026 Hard-Court Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Paul | Won in 3 sets | 85% | 18 |
| Taylor Fritz | Won in 2 sets | 91% | 21 |
| Brandon Nakashima | Won in 2 sets | 88% | 15 |
| Frances Tiafoe | Won in 2 sets | 79% | 16 |
Paul’s game fits the US Open’s medium-slow hard courts. He mixes serve-and-volley with drop shots. His return position is aggressive.
His break-point conversion sits at 34% this year. That remains a weakness.
But the tiebreak record in Cincinnati suggests a change. He converted all three. His post-match comment was measured: “I’ve always believed I could do this. Now I know I can.”
The summer hard-court season has been volatile. Aryna Sabalenka’s form has dipped. Carlos Alcaraz has struggled with consistency. Rankings matter less than current fitness.
Toronto and Cincinnati provided the data. Paul’s clean ball-striking held up in both hot, fast conditions. He played five matches in Toronto and four in Cincinnati without dropping a set to anyone outside the top 20.
The US Open draw will present tougher tests. Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz loom. Best-of-five sets demand different stamina.
Home expectations add pressure. New York crowds will favor him.
The last American man to win a major was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. Twenty-three years without a home champion.
Paul’s run changes the math. Not because he is the favorite — he is not. But because the American quartet has created a competitive ecosystem. They push each other in practice. They share tactical intel. They no longer fear the old guard.
Fritz is the highest-ranked American at No. 5. Paul sits at No. 12. Nakashima and Tiafoe round out the top 20.
The Cincinnati semifinal sweep is not a peak. It is a baseline.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What did Tommy Paul achieve in Cincinnati that hasn’t been done since 1995?
- A: He reached the Cincinnati Open semifinals, joining three other American men (Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima, Frances Tiafoe) for the first time since 1995.
- Q: How did Tommy Paul perform statistically in Cincinnati?
- A: He held serve at 85%, won all three tiebreaks, and recorded 18 hard-court wins this season.
- Q: Why is this significant for the US Open?
- A: Paul’s game suits the medium-slow hard courts, and his improved tiebreak performance suggests he can handle pressure, making him a strong contender.
Extended Reading
Sources: ATP Tour match reports, Cincinnati Enquirer live coverage, Tennis Now analysis of Toronto-Cincy trends ahead of the US Open.