Musetti reaches first Cincinnati last 16, ending Zheng’s bid to be first American qualifier there since 1997

Italian Lorenzo Musetti, the No 10 seed, beat American qualifier Michael Zheng 6-1, 6-3 to reach the Cincinnati Open last 16 for the first time in his career on Tuesday evening.

Musetti will next face the winner of the match between Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria and Australian Adam Walton.

It is Musetti’s third Masters 1000 last-16 of the season, after Madrid and Rome, as the Italian continues working his way back to his best tennis following injury. “One win at a time,” he said after the match.

The result also ended a notable run for Zheng, who had arrived at Cincinnati bidding to become the first American qualifier to reach the tournament’s last 16 since Vince Spadea in 1997.

The 22-year-old, a two-time NCAA singles champion at Columbia University, had picked up the first two Masters 1000 wins of his career this week, beating Frenchman Ugo Humbert, the No 24 seed, 6-4, 6-3, and edging past Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1).

Musetti reached this round by beating German Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-2 in the previous round.

Cincinnati Masters 1000 3rd Round

• A. Zverev (1) vs T. Atmane: 7-6, 7-6
• T. Paul (18) vs A/ Vallejo: 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• R. Jodar (12) vs A. Tabilo (22): 6-2, 6-1
• F. Cobolli (7) vs A. Blockx (28): 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
• T. Tirante vs M. Arnaldi (31): 7-6, 7-6
• Mensik (14) vs R. Hijikata: 6-3, 6-4
• A. Fils (21) vs J. Lehecka (9): 6-1, 6-7, 6-3
• A. de Minaur (5) vs A. Fery (32): 7-5, 7-6
• T. Fritz (6) vs D. Merida: 6-1, 6-7, 6-3
• C. O’Connell d. Fonseca (23): WO
• N. Borges d. A. Rublev (13): 6-3, 6-4
• B. Nakashima (27) vs D. Medvedev (4)
• J. Faria vs A. Walton
• L. Musetti (10) d. M. Zheng: 6-1, 6-3
• L. Tien (16) vs F. Tiafoe (17)
• J. Cerundolo vs F. Auger-Aliassime (2)