Frances Tiafoe and Holger Rune kick off Wednesday’s action at the Cincinnati Open this morning with a fourth-round match that promises high drama.
Tiafoe holds both the home-court advantage and a greater ability to handle the day’s conditions, with humidity hovering around 80%. Much like their Cincinnati semifinal meeting last year, Rune could start strong, but the heat may drain his energy, leaving Tiafoe to finish on top.
This year’s early-round results suggest Tiafoe is in sharper form. Rune battled through tight matches against Roman Safiullin and Alex Michelsen, while Tiafoe dispatched the tricky Roberto Carballes Baena and Ugo Humbert in straight sets.
World No. 9 Rune started 2025 well, winning the Barcelona title on clay over Carlos Alcaraz and finishing runner-up at Indian Wells, but his momentum has faded since Roland Garros. The steamy Cincinnati weather won’t help his cause.
Tiafoe, meanwhile, is entering the part of the tour calendar where his game can do maximum damage — and today’s conditions may play right into his hands.
Tiafoe–Rune Head-to-Head
Tiafoe leads their head-to-head 1–0, with their only previous meeting taking place in Cincinnati last year in the semifinal round. Tiafoe came back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4).
Prediction
Tiafoe in 3 tight sets. Expect Rune to come out firing, but the oppressive humidity and Tiafoe’s superior conditioning should tilt the decider in the American’s favor.
How to Watch Frances Tiafoe vs. Holger Rune
The Frances Tiafoe vs. Holger Runematch is expected to start at around 11:00 AM Eastern on Center Court at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
The match may air live on the Tennis Channel or its streaming-only T2 Channel.
The Tennis Channel has a live stream simulcast of its TV coverage here, along with a dedicated feed for the Tiafoe-Rune match here.
A standalone Tennis Channel streaming subscription is available for $9.99/month or $109.99/year.
Tiafoe vs. Rune
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Expected Start Time: 11:00 AM Eastern
Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio
Court: Center Court
TV: Tennis Channel
Streaming: Tennis Channel app and website
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