Hubert Hurkacz defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 3–6, 7–6, 6–1 in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters on hard court, confirming his status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.49 to Nishioka's 2.84. The Polish player recovered from losing the opening set to edge a competitive second-set tiebreak before dominating the third frame to secure passage. After surrendering the first set, Hurkacz's serve-based game proved decisive in the decisive moments, particularly in the tiebreak and the closing stages where he broke clear. The victory maintains Hurkacz's momentum in the lead-up to the US Open and extends his record at the Masters 1000 level.