Cincinnati Open 2026: Arthur Fery secures first Masters 1000 win while Cam Norrie and Katie Boulter exit in second round
• 2 minute read
Arthur Fery claimed the first Masters 1000 victory of his career on his Cincinnati Open debut, while fellow Britons Cam Norrie and Katie Boulter suffered second round defeats against Grand Slam champions.
Fery had received a bye into the second round in Cincinnati but quickly found his feet as he edged out Australia’s James Duckworth 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4) in two hours and 34 minutes.
It was the first match the Brit had competed in since his unforgettable run to the Wimbledon semi-final last month, which catapulted him inside the world’s top 40 for the first time in his career.
The occasion marked the 24-year-old's second appearance in the main draw of a Masters 1000 event, but his first as a direct entrant, and he appeared determined to make the most of it.
The Wimbledon native surrendered an early break advantage but regained control in the eighth game with a superb backhand passing shot before serving out the set at the third attempt.
Duckworth found another gear in the second - winning the first three games in a row and breaking Fery again at 5-2 to force a decider.
The British No.2 had the chance to seize control but failed to convert the only break point of a nail-biting deciding set. The match headed into a tie-break, where Fery won the final four points in succession to seal another milestone victory.
Next up, he’ll go on to face a tough challenge in the form of fifth seed Alex de Minaur in the next round.
Meanwhile, Norrie missed out on the chance to join Fery in the third round after falling short in a tense battle against Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev.
The British No.1 looked on his way to causing an upset over the top seed as he took the opening set but couldn’t complete the victory - eventually losing out 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and 30 minutes.
Norrie broke Zverev in his opening service game of the match and stayed firm on serve to see out the set.
However, the world No.3 raised his level to find a decisive break in the second and third sets to punch his ticket to the third round.
Three-time WTA titleholder Boulter looked to build on her first round win at the Cincinnati Open but couldn’t find a way past Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-3.
Like her two compatriots competing in second round clashes on Saturday, Boulter made a bright start as she broke the Czech star in her opening service game.
However, she was unable to capitalise on her advantage and, once the world No.8 found her rhythm, there was little Boulter could do as Noskova broke serve four times to secure her first win since being crowned a Grand Slam champion.
How to watch the Cincinnati Open 2026?
You can watch all the action live from the 2026 Cincinnati Open exclusively on Sky Sports Tennis and NOW.
