Flavio Cobolli: “I’m a Warrior Because I Love to Fight” — Cobolli, Tiafoe, and Nakashima Battle in Cincinnati Open Semifinals
The 2026 Cincinnati Open semifinals on P&G Center Court feature high-stakes battles, featuring top-tier international stars and all-American rivalries.
[7] Flavio Cobolli (ITA) vs. [21] Arthur Fils (FRA)
Flavio Cobolli’s miraculous summer continues in Mason, Ohio. Reaching his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros earlier this season propelled the 24-year-old Florentine into the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings—becoming only the seventh Italian man since 1973 to achieve the milestone.
Now into his maiden ATP Masters 1000 semifinal, Cobolli has proven to be the ultimate grinder, surviving four consecutive three-set marathons against Miomir Kecmanovic, Alexander Blockx, Rafael Jodar, and Tommy Paul.
“I’m a warrior because I love to fight,” said Cobolli, whose tattoos include Marvel’s The Hulk.
To reach his second major final of the year, Cobolli must overcome 22-year-old French star Arthur Fils, who holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over the Italian. Fils, currently in his third Masters 1000 semifinal of 2026 after runs in Miami and Madrid, presents a stern test.
Cobolli remains focused on managing the weight of expectations following his Parisian breakthrough:
“I did something that I never expected in my life,” Cobolli reflected. “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.”
[27] Brandon Nakashima (USA) vs. [17] Frances Tiafoe (USA)
An all-American showdown lights up the evening schedule as career-high World No. 22 Brandon Nakashima takes on 2024 finalist Frances Tiafoe.
Nakashima arrives in the semifinals on a formidable hard-court surge, having reached the semifinals in Washington and his first Masters 1000 final in Montreal. The 25-year-old Southern Californian earned his spot in the Cincinnati last four by defeating Taylor Fritz 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 in a grueling two-hour, 13-minute quarterfinal.
“WE ARE FIGHTING,” Nakashima wrote on the camera lens after his victory over Fritz.
“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,” Nakashima added. “My coach [Wayne Ferreira] and I, we’ve been talking about it a lot. I’m just really happy it’s been paying off.”
Standing in his path is Tiafoe, who holds a dominant 6-1 head-to-head record over Nakashima, including a three-set victory in Acapulco earlier this year.
Tiafoe, who underwent right-hand surgery to remove a cyst just prior to the tournament, has recaptured the form that took him to the 2024 Cincinnati final.
“The court speed is fast, which helps me quite a bit. The fans. I just have a great time here,” Tiafoe 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.”
