Cincinnati Open Round-Up | Jack Draper falls to Landaluce; Norrie advance as Monfils crashes out
ATPFriday, 14 August 2026 at 05:05
The Cincinnati Open got underway with several contrasting storylines on Day One, as Martin Landaluce produced one of the biggest results by defeating Jack Draper, while Cameron Norrie and Denis Shapovalov also secured their places in the second round. Landaluce recovered from a difficult second set to eliminate the former world No. 4, while Norrie battled back after dropping the opener against Dino Prizmic.
Shapovalov, meanwhile, produced a much more straightforward performance against Adrian Mannarino, controlling the match after a dominant opening set. The day was also heavily affected by rain, with the weather interrupting play and leaving Gael Monfils' clash with Rinky Hijikata unfinished as the schedule was pushed back.
Landaluce stuns Draper to claim major Cincinnati win
Martin Landaluce def. Jack Draper 6-3, 7-5
Landaluce produced one of the standout results of the opening day, defeating Draper in straight sets to continue his rise on the Masters 1000 stage. The Spaniard made the better start and quickly exposed uncertainty in Draper's game, taking advantage of errors to establish an early break. Draper struggled to find the consistency required to turn the momentum around, allowing Landaluce to protect his advantage and take the opening set 6-3.
Draper appeared ready to force a deciding set after responding strongly in the second. The Briton moved 5-2 ahead and looked to have finally found the level needed to extend the match, but Landaluce refused to panic.
The Spaniard produced a remarkable late comeback, winning five games in a row to turn the set around and close out the victory 7-5. The result adds another significant win to Landaluce's breakthrough season, while Draper leaves Cincinnati with further questions surrounding his current form and physical condition.
Norrie survives Prizmic comeback attempt
Cameron Norrie def. Dino Prizmic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Norrie had to recover from a difficult opening set against Prizmic, with the Croatian making the better start and putting the Briton under pressure early. Prizmic took advantage of the slower beginning from Norrie to move ahead and eventually secured the first set 6-3. The result left Norrie needing to produce a response if he was to avoid an early Cincinnati exit.
That response came emphatically in the second set, as Norrie immediately raised his intensity and took control of the match. He raced through the set 6-1 to force a decider, but Prizmic refused to disappear and kept the final set competitive.
Norrie eventually changed the momentum at 4-3 after saving four break points before converting his own opportunity to move ahead. He then protected the advantage and closed out the comeback 6-4, setting up a second-round meeting with top seed Alexander Zverev.
Cameron Norrie through to the second round of the Australian Open 2026
Shapovalov controls Mannarino to reach second round
Denis Shapovalov def. Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4
Shapovalov delivered one of the day's most convincing performances against Mannarino, taking control from the opening stages and giving the French veteran very little time to settle. The Canadian's aggressive approach paid immediate dividends as he broke early and continued to dictate exchanges from the baseline. Mannarino struggled to generate a response, allowing Shapovalov to run away with the opening set 6-1.
The second set became much more competitive as Mannarino found a way to put pressure on Shapovalov's serve and moved ahead 4-1. The Canadian, however, responded before the set could escape him, recovering the break to level at 4-4 and shifting the momentum back in his favour.
Shapovalov remained composed through the closing games and secured the final two games of the match to complete the 6-4 second set and advance. He will now continue his Cincinnati campaign in the second round.
Monfils falls to Hijikata after rain interruption
Rinky Hijikata def. Gael Monfils 2-6, 7-6, 6-3
Monfils' Cincinnati campaign ended in a three-set defeat to Hijikata after their opening-round clash was interrupted by rain. The Frenchman made the stronger start before the weather disruption, taking the opening set 6-2, but the Australian responded after play resumed and gradually turned the match into a much tighter contest.
Hijikata levelled the match by taking the second set in a tiebreak, setting up a deciding set with momentum on his side. The Australian then made the crucial move in the third, securing the advantage and refusing to allow Monfils back into the match. Hijikata eventually closed out the 6-3 decider to eliminate the experienced Frenchman and advance to the second round.
The result also ended one of the day's most disrupted matches, with rain having already forced a significant interruption to the Cincinnati schedule. Hijikata, playing his first main-draw Cincinnati campaign via wildcard, moves on after overcoming a player with considerably more experience at Masters 1000 level.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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