The 2025 Cincinnati Open delivered a dramatic shake-up. Four of the top American seeds, including Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula, crashed out in surprising fashion while Ben Shelton and Coco Gauff emerged as the last remaining U.S. contenders.
The rain-soaked week at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, disrupted the schedule and tested players’ endurance. However, Shelton’s resilience and Gauff’s luck with a walkover kept American hopes alive.
Ben Shelton and Coco Gauff Are the Last American Standouts in Cincinnati
The fourth seed, Fritz, suffered a surprising defeat to French qualifier Terence Atmane, who clinched the match 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. 10th seed Frances Tiafoe was forced to retire due to back spasms while trailing Holger Rune 6-4, 3-1.
LOOK WHAT IT MEANS 😊
World No.136 Terence Atmane records his first Top-5 win and reaches his first Masters quarter-final, 3-6 7-5 6-3 over Fritz. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/rkaU5L13KY
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2025
Get better soon, Foe 🙏@holgerrune2003 reaches the quarter-finals 6-4 3-1 RET as Tiafoe retires due to a back injury. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/8N3R1DT3Yb
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 13, 2025
On the women’s side, sixth seed Madison Keys was ousted by Elena Rybakina in a three-set thriller, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6. Keys fought back after losing the first set but was repeatedly broken in the decider, leaving her campaign unfinished.
Quarters up next 🔛
Elena Rybakina moves into the quarterfinals after defeating Keys 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/nmvYz4UkNS
— wta (@WTA) August 14, 2025
Gauff, meanwhile, advanced without hitting a ball in her third-round match after Dayana Yastremska withdrew due to illness. The American advanced to the fourth round, where she will take on Lucia Bronzetti. This will be their third meeting on the WTA Tour, with the American holding a dominant 2-0 head-to-head lead. The winner of this match will face either seventh seed Jasmine Paolini or Barbora Krejčíková in the quarterfinals.
Other Americans who were eliminated included third-round exits from Tommy Paul (13), Alex Michelsen (28), Jenson Brooksby (WC), Brandon Nakashima (27), Reilly Opelka, Taylor Townsend, Amanda Anisimova (5), McCartney Kessler (29), Ashlyn Krueger (26), and Iva Jovic. The spate of early exits left many fans questioning if the U.S. would have any champions in Cincinnati this year.
Rain played a central role in the tournament drama. Shelton’s third-round match against Roberto Bautista Agut was postponed midway due to thunderstorms, delaying the finish for nearly three hours. Despite the disruption, the American showed remarkable composure, winning the first set in a tiebreak, weathering the break, and closing the match 7-6(3), 6-3.
MORE: Ben Shelton Reveals He ‘Wasn’t Able To Get To Sleep’ After Cincinnati Open Schedule Disruption
Shelton moved on to the fourth round and is set to face 22nd seed Jiří Lehečka, revisiting their 2025 Stuttgart quarterfinal clash, in which the American triumphed in straight sets. The winner of this match will face either the 14th seed, Karen Khachanov, or the third seed, Alexander Zverev, in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, fourth seed Pegula’s third-round clash with Magda Linette became another headline-making upset. The match, suspended due to thunderstorms after the first set, resumed the next day, but Linette ultimately prevailed 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3.
