Fortune favors the brave! With the withdrawal of Hubert Hurkacz in the QF of the Cincinnati Masters, Frances Tiafoe has now reached his second ATP Masters 1000 SF. He will face Holger Rune in the semis. Rune has been chasing for his first title since March last year. However, with the recent victory in the QF against Jack Draper, the 21-year-old has now become the first Danish man to ever reach the SF in Cincinnati. Now, it’ll be interesting to see if he can really get the better of the American on American soil.

Frances Tiafoe vs Holger Rune: Preview

Tiafoe has played some outstanding tennis this season, but if you ask how many trophies he has won so far in 2024? The answer will be zero! He came close to clinching the title multiple times this year but has failed to deliver when it mattered the most. He has reached one final, two SFs, and four QFs this season. Tiafoe has already four matches in this tournament. Although Hurkacz was forced to retire with a calf injury in the QF while he was trailing the American by 3-6, Tiafoe would be very pleased with his performance in Cincinnati.

It’s time for him to replicate a similar performance against a strong challenger like Rune. The Dane has also made quite a few deep runs into the tournaments this year. He has reached one final, three SFs, and three QFs so far. Here in Cincinnati, he beat the British tennis star, Draper by 6-4, 6-2 in the QF. Are we going to witness a similar ‘walk-in-the-park’ in the semis, as well?

Tiafoe vs Rune: Head-to-Head

Both of these tennis stars haven’t played against each other in their careers. So, perhaps both of them will not be too aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Having said that, we are sure that they have already done their homework for the semis. Now, it’s time to execute it in the match. Who is most likely to get an edge in this nail-biting contest?

Prediction: Rune to win in three sets

Although picking someone against an American on American soil is a bit of a daring task, Rune surely has the potential to cause this major upset. He is currently ranked 16th in the world and has a win-loss record of 34-17. On the other hand, Tiafoe (27) has a win-loss record of just 23-19. So, looking at their rankings and their win-loss record, there is only one name that comes to our mind at the moment.

Rune is  an all-court player with impressive defensive skills. He uses his solid forehands and a consistent backhand to dominate his opponents from any part of the court during his matches. His movement, speed, and athleticism are what make him a really special player to watch out for in the future. Apart from all these, Rune also has an effective dropshot which can surprise his opponents at any point of the match. Tiafoe needs to keep an eye on this!

The American on the other hand, has an aggressive offensive style of play. Tiafoe heavily relies on his big serves and venomous forehands to seal the deal in this match. His unusual forehand which comes up with a heavy topspin along with an unusual arm motion, can be really tricky to handle for Rune in these windy conditions. Although Tiafoe will have the support of the home crowd in this match, Rune’s better records in previous tournaments are what keeping him slightly ahead in this match. Having said that, we can expect a tough fight from ‘Big Foe’ as well!