The 2025 Cincinnati Open had already begun before the Canadian Open finished, as the action never stops in the world of tennis.
Several big names will make their returns in Cincinnati, none bigger than Jannik Sinner, who won Wimbledon last time out.
Choosing to skip the tournament in Toronto, Sinner will return to defend his Cincinnati Open title fresher than ever.
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
On the women’s side, number-one seed Aryna Sabalenka will make her comeback, looking to win her second consecutive Cincinnati Open title.
She’ll likely face some stiff opposition from her rival Coco Gauff, who was stunned in the fourth round of the Canadian Open in her last WTA Tour outing.
As both Sinner and Gauff prepare to take to the court in Ohio, they have shared their thoughts on the ‘insane’ changes made by organisers ahead of this year’s tournament.
Coco Gauff thinks the new facilities in Cincinnati are ‘better than the Slams’
During her pre-tournament press conference, Gauff commented on the new developments in Cincinnati.
“I got here literally like 20 minutes ago for the first time, and I was like Wow! I saw the video of the overhead outside part, but had no idea what the player’s area looked like,” she said.
“I have still not seen the locker room or anything, but just the entrance is incredible. I think it’s insane, and all the feedback that I have heard is that it’s the best tournament on tour and better than the Slams as far as the facilities and things like that.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
“I have not gotten around yet. I got here at 12:30 pm and went straight to press, but once I get around, I will have a better answer for that.
“But as far as a first impression, it looks incredible and I’m so excited to just explore more.”
As part of a $260 million investment in the future of the tournament, organisers completely transformed the facilities in 2025.
Gauff wasn’t the only one impressed, as ATP number one Sinner was keen to share his thoughts during his press conference.
“It’s amazing. I was talking with all the players, and it’s actually very strange for us to come to a venue where everything is new. It’s amazing what they did in one year,” he said.
“Everything has improved so, so much. But mostly the space we have for us players. There are things inside and also outdoors, like the dining area is much, much bigger, and when you come from the transportation, it’s like a hotel. It’s amazing, so incredible.
“I feel very happy and honored to have this revolution because it’s something great for us and our sport. It’s really, really nice.”
Gauff and Sinner are certainly pleased with the facilities on offer in Cincinnati, but how will they fare when they begin their campaigns later this week?
Coco Gauff and Jannik Sinner’s routes to the Cincinnati Open titles (By ranking)
Searching for her first WTA 1000 title of the season, Gauff has arguably been placed on the ‘quieter’ half of the draw, avoiding the likes of Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Victoria Mboko until the final.
2R – Xinyu Wang3R – [32] Dayana Yastremska4R – [15] Daria KasatkinaQF – [7] Jasmine PaoliniSF – [4] Jessica PegulaF – [1] Aryna Sabalenka
Gauff will be the favorite to reach the final, where she could well meet her biggest rival, Sabalenka, for the first time since their controversial French Open clash.
Sabalenka was widely criticized for her comments in the aftermath of the final, when Gauff took a 6-5 lead in their head-to-head.
MatchSurfaceWinnerLoserScore2025 French Open – FClayCoco GauffAryna Sabalenka6-7, 6-2, 6-42025 Madrid Open – FClayAryna SabalenkaCoco Gauff6-3, 7-62024 WTA Finals – SFHardCoco GauffAryna Sabalenka7-6, 6-32024 Wuhan – SFHardAryna SabalenkaCoco Gauff1-6, 6-4, 6-42024 Australian Open – SFHardAryna SabalenkaCoco Gauff7-6, 6-42023 US Open – FHardCoco GauffAryna Sabalenka2-6, 6-3, 6-22023 Indian Wells – QFHardAryna SabalenkaCoco Gauff6-4, 6-02022 Toronto – 3RHardCoco GauffAryna Sabalenka7-5, 4-6, 7-62021 Rome – 3RClayCoco GauffAryna Sabalenka7-5, 6-32020 Ostrava – 2RHardAryna SabalenkaCoco Gauff1-6, 7-5, 7-62020 Lexington – 2RHardCoco GauffAryna Sabalenka7-6, 4-6, 6-4Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff’s head-to-head record
Another rivalry could be resumed in Cincinnati, should Sinner make it through to the final, to meet the man with whom he’s shared the last seven Grand Slams, Carlos Alcaraz.
2R – Daniel Galan3R – [30] Gabriel Diallo4R – [13] Tommy PaulQF – [8] Lorenzo MusettiSF – [4] Taylor FritzF – [2] Carlos Alcaraz
Sinner secured a rare win over Alcaraz last time around, defeating him in the Wimbledon final, to win his fourth major title.
Both players will no doubt have dreams of getting their hands on the Cincinnati Open trophy in 2025, but won’t want to get too far ahead of themselves, as they first focus on their second-round matches.
Gauff will play either Wang Xinyu or Emiliana Arango on Saturday, August 9, while Sinner plays Daniel Galan.