Alex de Minaur Ends Arthur Fery's Cincinnati Run After Rain-Hit Battle

Alex de Minaur ended Arthur Fery's run at the Cincinnati Open with a 7-5, 7-6 (3) victory in a third-round match repeatedly interrupted by rain. The Guardian reported that fifth seed De Minaur needed more than two hours to overcome the British 32nd seed, who pushed the Australian hard before losing in straight sets.

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Fery made a steady start and did not face a break point across his first five service games. With the opening set level at 5-5, however, missed first serves gave De Minaur an early advantage in the game. Fery then made a forehand error and missed a forehand volley after a dipping passing shot, allowing De Minaur to break before the Australian completed the set with a love hold.

Rain delayed play between the sets, and De Minaur took control when the players returned. His defensive coverage helped him build a double-break lead at 5-1. Another interruption then changed the pattern of the contest: Fery returned striking the ball cleanly from the baseline and won five consecutive games to move ahead 6-5.

De Minaur stopped that run by holding serve and then closed the match confidently in the tie-break. The comeback nevertheless completed an encouraging week for Fery in Mason, Ohio. After receiving a first-round bye, the 24-year-old beat world number 86 James Duckworth 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4) to reach the third round of a Masters 1000 tournament.

That victory was the sixth-best of Fery's career by his opponent's ranking, according to The Guardian. He collected 50 ranking points and $36,110 in prize money in Cincinnati. The report noted that the payment was his largest outside his three Grand Slam main-draw appearances and exceeded what he earned for winning his first ATP Challenger title in Barranquilla a year earlier.

Fery was also named in Great Britain's Davis Cup squad on Monday alongside Cameron Norrie, Henry Patten and Lloyd Glasspool. Britain will face Ecuador at London's Copper Box on September 19 and 20, with a place in November's Final 8 at stake. Elsewhere in Cincinnati, Iga Swiatek beat Maria Sakkari 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, while Elena Rybakina defeated Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (2).