After a quick stint in Canada, the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz heads back to the United States for the Cincinnati Open. The second of two consecutive WTA 1000 events, the Cincinnati Open serves as the biggest tune-up event into the season’s final Grand Slam, the US Open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nine top 10 players are currently in the field as well as five previous Cincinnati winners and 10 Grand Slam champions. Plus, 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions Serena Williams and Venus Williams will reunite in doubles after receiving a wild card.<\/p>\n
The tournament, a joint event with the ATP, will be held on the outdoor hard courts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Here is everything you need to know about the Cincinnati Open:<\/p>\n
What are the dates for each round?<\/p>\n
Main-draw play from Cincinnati begins Thursday, August 13 and will end the following Sunday, August 23, with the singles final not before 7 p.m. local time (12 a.m. BST, 1 a.m. CEST, August 14). The doubles final will be held the day prior, August 22, at 11 a.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here are the dates for each round:<\/p>\n
Singles
First round: August 13-14
Second round: August 15-16
Third round: August 17-18
Fourth round: August 19
Quarterfinals: August 20-21
Semifinals: August 22
Final: August 23<\/p>\n
Doubles
First round: August 16-17
Second round: August 18-19
Quarterfinals: August 20
Semifinals: August 21
Final: August 22<\/p>\n
What is the singles draw and who are some of the stars competing?<\/p>\n
In Cincinnati, there is a 96-player singles field with the 32 seeds receiving byes into the second round.<\/p>\n
Similar to Toronto, Sabalenka will be the top seed, and is followed by Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff that will lead each quarter of the draw.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka (2024) and Gauff (2023) are joined by Iga Swiatek (2025), Madison Keys (2019) and Karolina Pliskova (2016) as past winners returning to Cincinnati. Naomi Osaka (2020) and Jessica Pegula (2024) are former runner-ups among the star-studded 2026 lineup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rounding out the top 10 seeds includes Mirra Andreeva, Linda Noskova, Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk.<\/p>\n
Of note, 2025 finalist Jasmine Paolini, Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova, Hailey Baptiste and Victoria Mboko are among the notable names unable to compete with various continuing injuries and recoveries.<\/p>\n
Projected seeded players<\/p>\n
Aryna Sabalenka
\nElena Rybakina
\nJessica Pegula
\nCoco Gauff
\nMirra Andreeva
\nLinda Noskova
\nIga Swiatek
\nAmanda Anisimova
\nElina Svitolina\u00a0
\nMarta Kostyuk
\nNaomi Osaka
\nBelinda Bencic\u00a0
\nIva Jovic
\nDiana Shnaider
\nSorana Cirstea
\nEkaterina Alexandrova\u00a0
\nAlexandra Eala
\nAnna Kalinskaya\u00a0
\nMaja Chwalinska
\nMadison Keys
\nElise Mertens
\nMarie Bouzkova
\nBarbora Krejcikova
\nAnastasia Potapova\u00a0
\nEmma Navarro
\nJelena Ostapenko\u00a0
\nClara Tauson\u00a0
\nAnn Li\u00a0
\nMaria Sakkari\u00a0
\nLeylah Fernandez\u00a0
\nDonna Vekic\u00a0
\nJanice Tjen<\/p>\n
Draw ceremony: The singles draw ceremony will be held Tuesday, August 11 at 3 p.m. local time. The doubles draw will be released three days later on August 14.<\/p>\n
Singles wild cards:\u00a0Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Darja Vidmanova, Elvina Kalieva, Caroline Dolehide, Lois Boisson — more to come<\/p>\n
Taylor Townsend originally received a wild card but moved into the main draw after withdrawals. Therefore, her wild card opens back up.<\/p>\n
Withdrawals*: Karolina Muchova, Jasmine Paolini, Jaqueline Cristian<\/p>\n
Moved in*: Kamilla Rakhimova, Maria Timofeeva, Taylor Townsend, Simona Waltert, Yulia Putintseva<\/p>\n
Next eight alternates*: Renata Zarazua, Lilli Tagger, Eva Lys, Solana Sierra, Aoi Ito, Oksana Selekhmeteva, Wang Xiyu, Alina Korneeva<\/p>\n