CINCINNATI, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Arthur Fils overcame a second-set collapse to beat American Frances Tiafoe 6-3 1-6 6-0 on Sunday and claim his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open.
Fils, the 21st seed, made a flying start by breaking early to establish a 3-0 lead in the opening set before Tiafoe got on the board with a hold of serve.
The Frenchman maintained relentless pressure from the baseline, attacking Tiafoe’s second serve and forcing errors as he moved 5-3 ahead. Fils was untouchable on serve, closing out the set with three successive aces without dropping a point in the final game.
Tiafoe, playing in his second Cincinnati final, responded in kind in the second set.
The 28-year-old broke in the second game en route to a 3-0 lead, with his forehands pulling Fils wide. Although Fils got on the board with a hold to love, the 17th seed Tiafoe broke again for a 5-1 advantage before forcing a decider.
Fils quickly regained control in the third set, breaking twice to race into a 4-0 lead as Tiafoe’s backhand errors piled up. The 22-year-old’s pace and movement proved too much for the American, and he closed out the match with a 6-0 final set after a lengthy rally to lift the Cincinnati trophy.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico CityEditing by Toby Davis)
