Cincinnati Open ATP Day Five Round-Up | Alexander Zverev and Arthur Fils fight through tough tests as De Minaur wins rain-hit battle

The Cincinnati Open produced another busy day of action, with several of the leading names forced to work for their places in the next round. Alex de Minaur survived a dramatic comeback attempt from Arthur Fery after rain disrupted their match, while Alexander Zverev also needed two tie-breaks to get past Terence Atmane.

Rafael Jodar continued his outstanding North American hard-court run with another dominant performance, this time dispatching Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets. Jakub Mensik also progressed after his earlier breakthrough against Novak Djokovic, while Arthur Fils recovered from a second-set setback to defeat Jiri Lehecka in three sets.

Alex de Minaur survived a difficult battle against Arthur Fery, with rain interruptions adding another layer of uncertainty to a match that was already tightly contested. Fery repeatedly put pressure on the Australian's serve and looked comfortable for long periods, but De Minaur maintained his composure when the opening set reached its decisive stages.

Trailing 4-5, the Australian produced his best tennis at exactly the right moment, winning three consecutive games to turn the set around and take it 7-5. The second set initially looked far more straightforward, with De Minaur building a double-break advantage and moving 5-1 ahead.

However, another rain delay forced both players off court for around 30 minutes, and the momentum changed dramatically when they returned. Fery won five games in a row to move within touching distance of a deciding set, but De Minaur reacted just in time to force a tie-break. The Australian then raised his level again to complete the victory in straight sets.

Rafael Jodar continued his impressive North American hard-court swing with a dominant victory over Alejandro Tabilo, controlling the match from the opening games. The Spaniard broke immediately and added another break for a 4-1 advantage, repeatedly targeting Tabilo's backhand before using his crosscourt forehand to dictate the longer exchanges.

Tabilo struggled to find a response as Jodar maintained a high level from the baseline and closed out the opening set 6-2, winning 69% of his service points. The 19-year-old showed little sign of slowing down after the changeover, immediately taking control again in the second set.

After Tabilo held his opening service game, Jodar completely took over, winning six consecutive games to complete the victory. He converted three of four break opportunities in the second set and never allowed the Chilean to regain a foothold. Jodar now moves into the round of 16, where he will face Flavio Cobolli for a place in the quarterfinals.

Jakub Mensik continued his Cincinnati run with a controlled straight-sets victory over Rinky Hijikata, building on the momentum from his earlier success in the tournament. The Czech had to work hard for the opening breakthrough, with an 18-point service game eventually allowing him to break Hijikata and move ahead 3-0.

From there, Mensik protected his advantage with a series of clean service games. Hijikata was not completely overwhelmed behind his own delivery, but the Australian could not create an opportunity to recover the break as Mensik closed out the first set 6-3.

The second set was more competitive, with Hijikata saving several break points to remain in contention. Mensik eventually found the decisive opening in the fifth game, and once again followed the blueprint from the opener: break, protect his serve and refuse to give his opponent a route back into the match. The win sends Mensik into the round of 16, where he will face Thiago Tirante, the Argentine who eliminated Novak Djokovic earlier in the tournament.

Alexander Zverev was forced to work throughout his Cincinnati clash with Terence Atmane before securing a 7-6, 7-6 victory. The Frenchman made the stronger start, winning 12 of the opening 16 points against a somewhat erratic Zverev and quickly moving 3-0 ahead.

The world No. 3 gradually found his rhythm, particularly behind his first serve, while becoming more aggressive on return. Zverev recovered the break at 3-3 and from there neither player managed to create another opportunity, although Atmane faced slightly more pressure on serve. The opening set therefore went to a tie-break, where a single mini-break was enough for Zverev to move ahead.

The second set followed an almost identical pattern. Zverev had to save an early break point but then settled into his service rhythm, while Atmane remained composed despite constantly having to chase the score. Another tie-break was required, and once again Zverev secured the crucial early mini-break before moving to match point. A double fault briefly delayed the finish, but Zverev quickly earned another opportunity from the return and converted it to seal the victory.

Arthur Fils survived a significant fightback from Jiri Lehecka to advance in three sets, recovering from the disappointment of losing the second-set tie-break to complete a 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 victory. The Frenchman dominated the opening set, quickly establishing a 3-0 lead and never allowing Lehecka to find a way back into the contest.

Lehecka eventually steadied himself in the second set and began putting much more pressure on Fils. The Czech recovered from an early deficit and gradually turned the momentum around, eventually forcing a tie-break at 6-6. He then held his nerve to take it and level the match, setting up a deciding set after Fils had looked firmly in control for much of the opening stages.

Fils responded exactly as he needed to in the decider. He held immediately after the second-set setback before breaking to move 3-0 ahead, quickly restoring his authority. The Frenchman maintained his advantage from there, moving to 5-2 and eventually closing out the match 6-3 to complete the comeback and avoid letting Lehecka's momentum carry him through.