Cincinnati Open ATP Round-Up | Tsitsipas, Hurkacz and Berrettini advance as Baez stuns Dimitrov

The Cincinnati Open delivered several contrasting men’s matches, with Hubert Hurkacz and Stefanos Tsitsipas continuing their respective campaigns in straight sets. Hurkacz produced a controlled performance against Sho Shimabukuro, while Tsitsipas remained composed against a dangerous Valentin Royer to set up a third-round meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Elsewhere, Sebastian Baez came through one of the day’s most competitive encounters against Grigor Dimitrov, recovering from a difficult position in the deciding set to claim a comeback victory. Matteo Berrettini also advanced after another three-set battle, while Daniel Merida continued his impressive rise by overturning Marin Cilic in emphatic fashion.

Hubert Hurkacz continued his recent progress with a composed straight-sets victory over Sho Shimabukuro, producing the kind of serving performance that has long been one of his biggest weapons. The Polish world No. 69 claimed three breaks of serve and never allowed the Japanese player to find a breakthrough, controlling the match without needing to deal with significant pressure on his own delivery.

Hurkacz won 79% of the points played behind his serve, a huge advantage over Shimabukuro's 56%, and consistently made the difference when rallies developed beyond the first few shots. The victory is another positive step for Hurkacz as he attempts to climb the rankings and rebuild his position among the ATP Tour's more established contenders after a difficult period affected by injuries.

Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his Cincinnati campaign with a straight-sets victory over Valentin Royer, surviving a spirited challenge from the Frenchman without allowing the match to become too complicated. Royer showed enough quality to make Tsitsipas work, particularly in the opening set, but some untimely errors prevented him from capitalizing on the opportunities he created.

Tsitsipas, meanwhile, remained solid when the pressure increased and protected his serve effectively throughout the contest. The Greek's ability to stay composed in the key moments ultimately proved decisive as he secured the win and moved into the next round, where he will face third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in a significantly tougher test.

Sebastian Baez came through one of the day's most dramatic matches, overcoming Grigor Dimitrov in a three-set rollercoaster that repeatedly appeared to be shifting in both directions. Dimitrov made an emphatic start by taking the opening set 6-1, but Baez gradually found his rhythm and turned the match around before producing his best tennis when the deciding set reached its crucial stages.

The Argentine eventually recovered from a 2-4 deficit in the third set, winning the final four games to complete the comeback. Dimitrov, meanwhile, continues his fight to return to the world's top 100, with the Bulgarian currently ranked No. 136 and needing to accumulate points to improve his position and increase his chances of entering future Grand Slam main draws directly.

Matteo Berrettini continued to demonstrate that he remains capable of making deep runs at the highest level, recovering from a slow start against Titouan Droguet to advance in three sets. The Italian dropped the opening set 6-3 but responded emphatically, taking the second 6-1 before completing the comeback in a competitive deciding set.

Berrettini's serve and forehand remain his most reliable weapons, allowing him to dictate points when he is able to establish himself inside the baseline. His ability to maintain his composure in difficult moments has also become increasingly important after injuries repeatedly disrupted his progress. The former Grand Slam finalist is now back inside the ATP top 40 and building on a 2026 season that has included his run to the Roland Garros quarterfinals, his best Grand Slam result since the 2022 US Open.

Daniel Merida continued his rapid rise with another impressive comeback, defeating Marin Cilic after dropping the opening set. The Croatian initially looked in control, using his powerful serve to establish a double-break advantage and comfortably take the first set. Merida, however, completely changed the dynamic once the second set began and never allowed Cilic to regain his earlier momentum.

The Spaniard went from 1-1 in the second set to win nine consecutive games, taking the second set comfortably before racing into a 4-0 lead in the decider. Even when the match moved toward its conclusion, Merida maintained his concentration and refused to give Cilic an opening, eventually sealing the victory after just one hour and 40 minutes.

The result further underlines the 20-year-old's ability to handle long matches and maintain his level as the physical and mental demands increase. Merida, now ranked No. 40 in the world, will face No. 30 seed Zizou Bergs in the second round, providing another opportunity to strengthen his position among the ATP's emerging players.