Cincinnati
Tiafoe retires injured in Cincinnati, Rune advances to QFs
Seventh seed Rune will face Fritz or Atmane for semi-final spot
August 13, 2025
Jared Wickerham/Wick Photography for Cincinnati Open
Frances Tiafoe struggled physically from late in the first set on Wednesday in Cincinnati.
By ATP Staff
Frances Tiafoe suffered a setback to his U.S. hard-court summer on Wednesday at the Cincinnati Open. The home favourite was forced to retire from his fourth-round match at the ATP Masters 1000 event against Holger Rune due to a lower back injury.
The 10th-seeded Tiafoe at one point led 3-0 in his third Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Rune, but after relinquishing that lead he received treatment on his lower back at 4-5. With Tiafoe unable to serve at full pace, Rune had moved into a 6-4, 3-1 lead when the American retired.
Get well soon Frances 🙏@Holgerrune2003 is through to the quarter-finals as Tiafoe retires due to injury.
Final score: 6-4 3-1 RET.@CincyTennis | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/cKVtZEXBSa
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 13, 2025
Tiafoe, who reached his maiden Masters 1000 championship match in Cincinnati a year ago, will hope to recover quickly before heading to New York for his home Grand Slam at the US Open. The 27-year-old is a two-time semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows, including last year when he fell to his countryman Taylor Fritz.
The No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Rune stepped on court Wednesday hoping to avenge his 2024 semi-final defeat to Tiafoe. The Dane will take on fourth seed Fritz or French qualifier Terence Atmane in the quarter-finals this year.
“From 4-4, when I got the break and at 5-4 when he had the medical timeout, that’s when I felt something was not right with him and after obviously, I could see he was struggling a little bit,” said Rune. “As the game is, I tried to move him as much as possible. It’s never nice to finish a match like this and I wish him the best recovery.”
