The Western and Southern Open is likely one of the largest non-Grand Slam occasions on the skilled tennis tour.
The US Midwest metropolis hosts one of many few occasions on the Cincinnati circuit that runs the boys’s and girls’s attracts concurrently, and the event good points further significance with the occasion being the ultimate tune-up earlier than the US Open.
This yr, the occasion will not be devoid of tales, and with the massive names highlighting a not-so-typically stacked predominant draw, the stakes are excessive.
Nadal, Medvedev searching for kind
The legend in Cincinnati is prone to be constructed across the prime two seeds – winners of two of the final three US Opens and the present hardcourt majors champions – Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev.
World No. 1 Medvedev, one of the best vaccination hard-courter on tour, has loads of factors to defend till the tip of the yr, together with his US Open title. Russia has had a quiet season since shedding its two-set lead within the Australian Open closing. The Russian received in Los Cabos earlier this month, however his opening loss in Montreal to Nick Kyrgios, who is an efficient decide to go deep in Cincinnati and New York itself, is in dire want of kind.
Rafa has arrived#sincytennis pic.twitter.com/hRWTLRey9e
— Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) 12 August 2022
Nadal, however, is dealing with a special sort of problem. The Spaniard has been a sensation this yr, nonetheless unbeaten within the Majors and his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in Madrid is his solely loss not associated to harm.
But the Spaniard’s success comes regardless of his rising bodily points. He began the yr contemporary with a minor operation for his power foot downside, which flared up once more on the French Open the place he received after utilizing an anesthetic injection. A rib harm within the Indian Wells closing broke him and halted the beginning of his clay season, and an stomach tear resulted in his return from Wimbledon.
Cincinnati – the place he performs for the primary time since 2017 – is prone to be extra a take a look at of his physicality than a title push.
This could depart the door open for some others. Casper Rudd and Hubert Harkaz come to the occasion behind a wonderful week in Montreal. Alcaraz, positioned within the much less crowded a part of the draw, will attempt to acquire some momentum forward of the US Open. The Spaniard’s meteoric rise to the highest of the boys’s recreation has been marred by some current closing defeats, and he’s trying so as to add to his breakthrough yr.
rely the celebs#sincytennis pic.twitter.com/4qbeOUQs2e
— Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) 15 August 2022
The likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matteo Berrettini – who play mouthwatering first spherical matches towards Frances Tiofo – will nonetheless be eyeing the title if the draw opens for them.
Kyrgios, having received in Washington and reached the ultimate at Wimbledon, is undoubtedly a sight to behold.
Serena-Radukanu will make headlines
Serena Williams’ retirement announcement shocked tennis followers all over the world, and now on her farewell tour, her outing in Cincinnati will get all of the extra fascinating as she sees reigning US Open champion Emma Radukanu on Tuesday.
Williams’ massive groundstrokes, sturdy serves and pure energy have all fallen brief, and her recreation rests on clutch play and psychological toughness. Radukanu, a yr after her victory in New York, however nonetheless in her first full season on the tour, is struggling bodily and mentally.
Britain has change into the proper participant to face Serena. If that is to be considered one of his final matches, the stakes are excessive. For Raducanu, a high-profile scalping of an out-of-form nice could also be precisely what he wants.
While each gamers are undoubtedly the 2 greatest names in ladies’s tennis in the intervening time, their probabilities of profitable in Cincinnati are slim.
Last likelihood to see Serena Williams play #sincytennis I
https://t.co/WZsRRNaDVH pic.twitter.com/qEa5sImda8
— Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) 9 August 2022
World No. 1 Inga Swietec could have forgotten to lose between March and June, however she has been on tour ever since, and is trying to acquire some momentum within the US Midwest.
The pole is positioned within the hardest part of the draw, with Toronto finalist Beatrice Haddad Maia, heavyweight Jelena Ostapenko, Coco Gauff and Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina all of their quarters.
The backside half stays open with Toronto champions Simona Halep not sure of the place to play, despite the fact that her performances over the previous few months have made her a favourite for New York. Belinda Bencic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Paula Badosa will all be trying to pounce.
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Nadal recovers from harm and Serena is getting ready to say goodbye. Medvedev is searching for kind and Alkaraz stays a wildcard. Kyrgios is making an attempt to show himself and Radukanu wants the end result. All of those tales are anticipated to conclude in New York subsequent month, however will start in Cincinnati on Tuesday.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
