Arthur Fils Stuns Frances Tiafoe in Cincinnati Open Thriller
Arthur Fils of France made history by becoming the youngest French champion in Masters 1000 history, defeating American Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling 6-3, 1-6, 6-0 victory at the Cincinnati Open.
Fils's win marks the first time two Black players have met in an ATP Masters 1000 final. The Frenchman joins Ben Shelton and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as the third Black man to win a Masters 1000 title.
Tiafoe, who appeared in the Cincinnati Open final for the second time, struggled to keep up with Fils's dominant first set. The American won just one point in the first four games, before Fils took a 3-0 lead.
The second set saw a drastic turnaround, with Tiafoe dominating Fils 6-1. However, the American's momentum was short-lived, as Fils won the final set 6-0.
Fils's impressive performance was highlighted by his 11 aces and 71% win rate on first serve. He also improved to 10-0 in deciding sets this year and 8-0 against American opponents.
Fils's win was not without its challenges, however. Tiafoe used the time break before the third set to receive massage treatment on his upper left leg and lower back. Despite this, Fils saved two match points in the final game before closing out the victory.
Fils's win marks a significant milestone in his career, and he will look to build on this momentum in his next tournament.
Source: Yahoo Sports