Frances Tiafoe Faces Flavio Cobolli in Round of 16

Washington, D.C. — Frances Tiafoe advanced to the Round of 16 at the Mubadala Citi DC Open after defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic in a three-set match on July 24, 2025. The final score was 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Tiafoe, the sixth seed, showed resilience after losing the second set to Kovacevic, who saved three break points early in the first set. Tiafoe broke serve in the 11th game to take the first set 7-5, but Kovacevic responded by winning the second set 6-3. In the deciding set, Tiafoe secured a crucial break in the seventh game and clinched the match with an ace.

“I didn’t play the best today, but I want to win more like that,” Tiafoe said after the match. “No excuses, find ways to win and you have a chance to play better in the next one.”

Tiafoe’s next challenge is a match against Flavio Cobolli, the No. 9 seed, who defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 7-6 (7-3). Tiafoe leads their head-to-head matchup 1-0 from a previous match in Delray Beach in 2024.

Cobolli, coming off a strong season that includes titles in Bucharest and Hamburg, has emerged into the ATP top 20. He reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon before losing to Novak Djokovic, demonstrating significant progress in his game.

With Tiafoe’s preference for hard courts and Cobolli’s rise, the upcoming match is highly anticipated. Tiafoe has a strong service game, winning 87% of his first serve points during his last match. Meanwhile, Cobolli is looking to prove his capability on this surface as he continues his breakout season.

The match between Tiafoe and Cobolli is scheduled for Thursday at approximately 7:30 PM ET. Fans can expect an intense battle as both players aim for a spot in the quarterfinals.