Nakashima pounds Fritz, Bejlek beats Keys in Cincinnati upsets
Brandon Nakashima and Sara Bejlek advanced to the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters after securing upset victories over Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys, respectively. The tournament results set up high-stakes matchups as players prepare for the upcoming US Open.
Why it matters
These results reflect shifting power dynamics in professional tennis ahead of a major Grand Slam tournament.
Brandon Nakashima continued his red-hot pace on Friday, knocking out sixth-seeded Taylor Fritz 7-6 (11/9), 4-6, 6-3 to reach the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters semi-finals.
Unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek also advanced, backing up her stunning victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) quarter-final win over Madison Keys.
Bejlek, 20, booked a semi-final showdown with fourth-seeded American Coco Gauff, who powered to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 10th-seeded Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Nakashima lined up an all-American men's semi against Frances Tiafoe, who out-lasted Italian Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (7/2) 7-5.
Nakashima began his post-Wimbledon hard court run with a Washington semi-final, which he lost to Fritz, a run to the final in the Montreal Masters and now his best showing at Cincinnati -- all with the US Open start barely more than a week away.
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