Jack Draper’s impressive run at the Cincinnati Open came to an end in the quarter-finals, as he was defeated in straight sets by Denmark’s rising star, Holger Rune. The British number one, who had showcased resilience by coming back from a set down in his previous two matches, was unable to repeat his heroics against the 15th-seeded Rune. The match concluded with a 6-4, 6-2 victory for the Dane, marking his advancement to the semi-finals.
Rune, 21, demonstrated clinical precision throughout the match, particularly in capitalizing on the few opportunities that arose. The first set was tightly contested, with both players holding serve until the fifth game. It was here that Rune seized the lone break point of the set, giving him a crucial 3-2 lead. From that point on, Rune’s serve proved impenetrable, and he confidently closed out the set 6-4.
Draper, 22, entered the second set hoping to turn the tide, but Rune quickly extinguished those hopes. The Dane broke Draper’s serve at the start of the set, establishing an early advantage. Despite Draper’s efforts, which included creating three break-point chances, Rune’s composure under pressure was evident as he saved all three. Rune then capitalized on another break opportunity in the 11th game, effectively sealing Draper’s fate. The Danish player served out the match with authority, securing a place in the semi-finals with a 6-2 win in the second set.
Rune’s victory over Draper sets up an enticing semi-final clash against American Frances Tiafoe. Tiafoe advanced after his opponent, Hubert Hurkacz, retired due to a calf injury following the first set of their quarter-final match.
In other men’s quarter-final action, top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy avenged his recent loss to Andrey Rublev in Montreal by securing a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory. Sinner will now face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals, after Zverev overcame a challenging match against Ben Shelton, winning 3-6, 7-6, 7-5.
On the women’s side, world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland survived a tough encounter against teenager Mirra Andreeva, eventually prevailing 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Swiatek’s next opponent will be the third seed, Aryna Sabalenka, who eased past Liudmila Samsonova with a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
In another quarter-final, home favorite Jessica Pegula edged out Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in a marathon match, winning 7-5, 6-7, 7-6. Pegula will face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the semi-finals, after Badosa dispatched Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-2 with relative ease.
As the tournament progresses into the semi-finals, fans can look forward to more thrilling matchups, with both the men’s and women’s draws featuring a mix of seasoned champions and emerging talents.
