FANTASTIC FOUR: MEN’S SEMIFINAL PREVIEW

ANOTHER THREE-SETTER FOR ‘WARRIOR’ COBOLLI?; ANOTHER FINAL FOR TIAFOE?

By Richard Osborn    

[7] FLAVIO COBOLLI (ITA) VS. [21] ARTHUR FILS (FRA)

NOT BEFORE 1:30 P.M. | P&G CENTER COURT

A trip to his first Grand Slam final earlier this summer at Roland Garros catapulted Flavio Cobolli into the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings, only the seventh Italian man to reach those heights since 1973. He’s been a true grinder here at the 2026 Cincinnati Open, where the 24-year-old is into the first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal of his career. All four of the Florentine’s matches have gone the distance, with Cobolli somehow finding a way to pull them out in three sets. Thus far, he’s topped Miomir Kecmanovic, Alexander Blockx, 19-year-old Spanish sensation Rafael Jodar and home-country favorite Tommy Paul.

“I’m a warrior because I love to fight,” said Cobolli, whose many tattoos include one of the Marvel Comics character The Hulk.

Cobolli will need to channel that inner-warrior against a healthy Arthur Fils in the semifinals. Fils, having returned from a back injury that relegated him to the sidelines for the better part of eight months last year, is 2-0 against Cobolli, including a dominant 6-2, 6-4 second-round dismissal last year at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. But Cobolli is a different player this time round, a Grand Slam finalist. Though with that, of course, come the expectations.

“I did something that I never expected in my life,” said Cobolli of his run in Paris. “People start to watch you more, talk about you a bit more. The pressure is higher. You have to live with that. Now I feel the pressure more than maybe the beginning of the year. Every time I play, I try not to think about it, but that’s almost impossible.”

Fils, 22, is into his third ATP Masters 1000 semi after reaching the last-four stage in

Miami and Madrid earlier this season.

[27] BRANDON NAKASHIMA (USA) VS. [17] FRANCES TIAFOE (USA)

NOT BEFORE 6 P.M. | P&G CENTER COURT

Not all winning streaks are equal. Some provide a little confidence boost; others signal a player coming into their own altogether. The latter is sure what it feels like in Brandon Nakashima’s case.

Since hopping the Atlantic for the North American summer hard courts, the 25-year-old Southern Californian has done a whole lot of winning. But it’s the manner in which he’s been doing it that impresses most.

Nakashima kicked things off with a run to the ATP 500 semis in Washington, where he was edged by countryman Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Then he reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Montreal (l. to Ben Shelton, 6-3, 7-6(4). Now he’s into the final four at the Cincinnati Open, courtesy of a 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 payback against Fritz in the quarterfinals.

“WE ARE FIGHTING” wrote Nakashima on the courtside camera lens following the two-hour, 13-minute triumph.

“It’s been a lot of matches, a long stretch, but I’m just taking a lot of positives each day, just really trying to go out there and give my best effort and to try to play the right way,” said Nakashima, ranked a career-high No. 22. “My coach and I, we’ve been talking about it a lot. I’m just really happy it’s been paying off.”

An all-U.S. matchup with Frances Tiafoe is up next, a player who has caused him fits in the past. Nakashima is 1-6 against his countryman, including a 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 loss in the Acapulco semis earlier this year.

“I’m just taking it as another opportunity for me to play my game and go out there and get my best effort,” said Nakashima, who is coached by Wayne Ferreira, who formerly works with Tiafoe. “I’m going to have to swing through my shots and play aggressive. If I’m able to do that, I think I have a good chance.”

Tiafoe enjoyed the run of his career here two years ago, when he reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final (l. to Jannik Sinner, 7-6(4), 6-2). Now he has a chance at another. What is it about this corner of the country that clicks with his game?

“The court speed is fast, which helps me quite a bit. The fans. I just have a great time here,” he said. “I think sometimes when you’re just in a nice flow state off the court, it comes out on the court. I’m happy where I’ve been mentally more than anything.”

To think Tiafoe nearly didn’t play in Cincinnati. The 28-year-old underwent right-hand surgery just prior to the tournament, a procedure to remove a persistent cyst that forced his mid-match retirement in Montreal.