Nakashima Ends Medvedev's Cincinnati Run in Three Sets as Bejlek Stuns Alexandrova

The heaviest blow of the day at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 landed on Daniil Medvedev. Brandon Nakashima, ranked 22, survived a first-set tie-break that went the wrong way, took the second on another tie-break, and then ran away with the decider 6-1 to close out a 6-7 7-6 6-1 victory. The margins were microscopic for two sets and then vanished entirely; once Nakashima levelled, Medvedev never found the depth or the court position to reset the pattern.

The American was not the only one advancing through the third round. Frances Tiafoe needed three sets to hold off Learner Tien 6-4 4-6 6-4 in an all-American meeting of contrasting styles, and Felix Auger Aliassime was the most economical of the group, breaking clear of Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-5 6-1 once the opening set finally tilted his way. Jaime Faria, ranked 79, produced the sort of result that reshapes a season, edging Adam Walton 4-6 6-4 7-6 after dropping the first set. O'Connell C. also came through against Joao Fonseca.

On the WTA side, Sara Bejlek delivered the standout scoreline of the day, losing the opening set to Ekaterina Alexandrova before winning ten of the last twelve games for a 4-6 6-1 6-2 turnaround. Aryna Sabalenka needed only 6-1 6-3 against Qiang Wang to keep her passage through the draw untroubled, and Elina Svitolina moved past Xiyu Wang.

The Challenger circuit offered its usual quota of familiar names. Stan Wawrinka came through two tie-breaks to beat Dalibor Svrcina 7-6 7-6 in Cancun 2, where Roman Safiullin dismissed Sebastian Ofner 6-3 6-4 and Lloyd Harris and Felipe Meligeni Alves both qualified, the latter after a three-hour-shaped 6-7 7-6 6-2 win over Dali Blanch. In Quebec City, Alexei Popyrin (6-4 7-6 over Francesco Maestrelli), Benjamin Bonzi and Jesper de Jong — a 7-5 6-0 winner over Dane Sweeny — all advanced, while Andrea Pellegrino ousted Nishesh Basavareddy 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Wednesday's fourth-round programme in Cincinnati is the reason to clear a schedule. Alexander Zverev, the world number three, faces Tommy Paul (24) in the marquee ATP tie, a matchup between Zverev's baseline geometry and Paul's willingness to shorten points. Alex de Minaur (8) meets Arthur Fils (21) in the other heavyweight collision, and Flavio Cobolli (10) faces Rafael Jodar (11) in a bracket that has opened up considerably.

The underdogs have their say too. Faria, at 79, must back up his win with a test against Lorenzo Musetti (15); Jakub Mensik (16) takes on the unranked Tirante T. A.; and Nakashima, fresh from beating Medvedev, gets Nuno Borges (47) — a match in which the American will be favoured but where recovery, not ranking, is the variable.

The women's round of 16 is arguably richer still. Elena Rybakina (2) plays Diana Shnaider (14), Jessica Pegula (3) meets Sorana Cirstea (19), Mirra Andreeva (6) faces Marta Kostyuk (11), and Linda Noskova (8) confronts Amanda Anisimova (10) in the tightest seeding pairing of the round. Iga Swiatek (5) has the most straightforward assignment on paper against Diane Parry (66).