The WTA Cincinnati tournament continues with the second round on Sunday. WTA Cincinnati is the 1,000-point tournament that flows into the U.S. Open. We saw Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina make the final in Toronto. Will other top players be able to rise up this coming week and make their own statement heading into the final Major tournament of 2026? People who follow women’s tennis know there is a lot of quality depth in the sport. Over the past few years, it was generally assumed that Aryna Sabalenka would go deep in nearly every important tournament, but now that assumption doesn’t hold up as well. It’s a very interesting time in the sport because old patterns are not remaining intact. Let’s see what happens next. LWOS has our best bets for three matches. Post your best bets and thoughts in the comments.

WTA Cincinnati
Tjen – Golubic: 11:00 EST

H2H: 0-0

This WTA Cincinnati match is curiously priced. Janice Tjen is ranked higher than Viktorija Golubic, which is why she is the betting market favorite, but other stats point to Golubic being the better player. Golubic is 3-1 in her last four matches, while Tjen is 1-3. Tjen is only 6-11 on hardcourt this year. Golubic is 5-7. It’s not that Golubic is way better than Tjen (she isn’t), but Tjen just isn’t especially impressive. Yet, Tjen is favored. Do you trust the markets or the numbers?

Best Bet to Make

The case for Golubic looks more convincing than the case for Tjen. Golubic is playing better tennis, and Tjen has simply not been good on hardcourt this season. You’re getting a great moneyline price on Golubic. Go for it.

That being said, betting on Golubic winning is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/ the best odds: Golubic winning at 2.16 @1xBet       

Townsend – Rybakina: 11:00 EST

H2H: 0-1

Taylor Townsend will try to knock off World No. 2 Elena Rybakina in this WTA Cincinnati second-round match. Rybakina had a strong WTA Toronto tournament, making the final before losing to Iga Swiatek. Rybakina is coming closer to passing Aryna Sabalenka for WTA No. 1, but she isn’t quite there yet. If she puts together a big week in Cincinnati, she could gain more ground if Sabalenka continues to struggle.

Aug 29, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Ann Li of the United States in action against Priscilla Hon of Australia in the third round of the women’s singles at the US Open at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Jim Smith

Best Bet to Make

This match is not about the statistics, but about motivation. Rybakina just played a full week of tennis in Toronto. Does she want to play another full week at the WTA Cincinnati tournament, or rest and get ready for the big one in New York? Rybakina might win, but she might also not be fully focused on this match after her long slog in Toronto. Townsend to win one set is an attractive standalone wager here.

That being said, betting on Townsend +1.5 sets is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/ the best odds: Townsend +1.5 sets at 1.98 @Unibet     

Zhang – Li: 12:30 EST

H2H: 0-4

The first thing that jumps off the page in this WTA Cincinnati matchup is that Ann Li has beaten Shuai Zhang all four times they met. Li has also beaten Zhang multiple times this year, so we are not talking about matches played several years ago. The burden is on Zhang to prove she can win. Zhang is 11-10 on hardcourt this year, while Li is 7-11. Li, though, is ranked close to 30 spots higher than Zhang.

Best Bet to Make

It’s very simple. You bet on the player who has proved she can win head-to-head until her opponent takes a stand. Li moneyline isn’t priced high enough to warrant featured wager status, so add a few games and take Li on the game spread in WTA Cincinnati. 

That being said, betting on Li -2.5 games is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/ the best odds: Li -2.5 games at 1.65 @Interwetten     

Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports