Frances Tiafoe reaches biggest final of career in Cincinnati after comeback victory over Rune

Frances Tiafoe pulled off a comeback to remember in Cincinnati on Sunday night, rallying from 5-2 down in the third set—and even fighting off two match points serving at 4-5—to defeat Holger Rune in the semifinals of the Masters 1000 event, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4).

He’s now through to the ninth and biggest final of his career, all eight of his previous finals coming at ATP 250s and ATP 500s.

FRANCES TIAFOE’S CAREER FINALS (9):
2018 Delray Beach [ATP 250, champion]
2018 Estoril [ATP 250, runner-up]
2021 Vienna [ATP 500, runner-up]
2022 Estoril [ATP 250, runner-up]
2022 Tokyo [ATP 500, runner-up]
2023 Houston [ATP 250, champion]
2023 Stuttgart [ATP 250, champion]
2024 Houston [ATP 250, runner-up]
2024 Cincinnati [Masters 1000, TBD]

Awaiting the American in Monday’s final will be the world No. 1, Jannik Sinner, who also won an absolute battle in his semifinal, sneaking past world No. 4 Alexander Zverev, 7-6 (9), 5-7, 7-6 (4).

After eight straight holds to start the match on Sunday, Rune drew first blood, breaking for 5-4 then serving out the 41-minute first set.

That’s when Tiafoe came alive, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the second set, then—after Rune put a hold on the board—winning another three games in a row to send the match to a third set.

Rune bounced back, saving a pair of break points to hold for 1-0, breaking for 2-0 and holding again for 3-0, and he extended that lead to 5-2 before Tiafoe struck back, closing in to 5-4 and then digging out of double match point serving at 4-5, 15-40 to hold for 5-all. He eventually sealed the victory in a third set breaker.

Tiafoe finished the match with 25 winners to 19 unforced errors, including an incredible 13 aces to just one double fault.

And just by reaching the final, the former No. 10 is projected to rise from No. 27 back into the Top 20—at No. 20.

He could go as high as No. 17 with the title.

Sinner leads Tiafoe in their overall head-to-head, 3-1, with Tiafoe’s win coming in the semifinals of the indoor event in Vienna in 2021, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. The Italian won their only meeting since then in the quarterfinals of the same event in Vienna in 2023, 6-3, 6-4.