Cincinnati Open 2025: Top Seeds Sinner and Sabalenka Look to Defend Titles
Main draw play at the Cincinnati Open begins Thursday. This is the seventh ATP Masters 1000 tournament on the men's calendar in 2025 and eighth WTA 1000 event, and it will be followed later in August by the fourth and final Grand Slam event of 2025 at the U.S. Open. The hard courts in Cincinnati are known as some of the fastest on tour. Both the men and women have 96-player draws, with the top 32 seeds getting byes directly into the second round, so the star players won't start taking the court until Saturday. All Cincinnati Open matches will be best-of-three sets, which is par for the course in the WTA game but different from the best-of-five format in men's Grand Slams.
Novak Djokovic (groin) will be absent from the Cincinnati draw for a second consecutive year, while rising WTA star Mirra Andreeva (ankle) will be sidelined after getting hurt at the Canadian Open. Francisco Cerundolo (abdomen) also withdrew from Cincinnati after getting hurt in Canada, and other sidelined big names include Jack Draper (arm), Grigor Dimitrov (pectoral) on the men's side and Ons Jabeur (undisclosed) in the women's draw.
Defending men's Cincinnati Open champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is the clear favorite on the men's side, with a massive gap from Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to the rest of the field. The women's field is less top-heavy. Defending women's champion and top seed Aryna Sabalenka is the title favorite in a field that also includes No. 3 seed and Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, as well as four Americans seeded in the top eight: No. 2 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 5 Amanda Anisimova, No. 6 Madison Keys and No. 8 Emma Navarro.
After each player's name below, you will see their title odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. Other best sports betting sites for betting both tennis futures and individual matches include FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook. Tennis Odds & Lines can vary quite substantially, especially for long shots, so you are encouraged to shop around for the best lines if you have access to multiple sports betting apps. We offer exclusive sportsbook promos in states where sports betting has gone live.
Cincinnati Open Picks: Men's Tournament
The Favorite
Jannik Sinner (+100) - Sinner is 26-3 in 2025, including 7-0 on hard courts. All of those matches came at the Australian Open, which is one of his two Grand Slam titles in 2025, but despite the lack of reps on the surface this year, Sinner has consistently displayed his best form on hard courts throughout his career. Seventeen of his 20 career titles have come on hard courts, including each of the last three hard-court Grand Slams and last year's Cincinnati Open. The world No. 1 is well rested after skipping the Canadian Open and will be favored against any opponent here. Those opponents could include Tommy Paul in the Round of 16, Casper Ruud or Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals and Taylor Fritz in the semifinals before another possible championship match against Alcaraz in the sport's most exciting rivalry.
In the Mix
Carlos Alcaraz (+175) - Alcaraz has been far more susceptible to being upset on hard courts compared to other surfaces the last couple years and is "just" 15-4 on hard compared to a combined 33-2 on clay and grass in 2025. Even so, the No. 2 seed has more than enough game to navigate a draw that could include a matchup with Jakub Mensik in the Round of 16, Alex de Minaur or Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals, and Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton or Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals. Alcaraz lost the Wimbledon final to Sinner, but the Spaniard had won their previous five encounters and leads their head-to-head 8-5, including 5-2 on hard courts.
Alexander Zverev (+1600) - Zverev's finishing up a deep run at the Canadian Open, where he's the top seed in the absence of Sinner and Alcaraz. The big-serving German has an all-court game and a proven track record of success, especially when the pressure's a tad lower outside of Grand Slams. He'll need to adjust quickly to the change in conditions since Cincinnati's hard courts tend to play faster than the hard courts north of the border, and Zverev landed in a tricky section of the Cincinnati draw as the No. 3 seed, with Karen Khachanov or Arthur Fils as possible fourth-round opponents, then Shelton or Medvedev in the semis.
Taylor Fritz (+1600) - Fritz is another top-four seed with a quick transition after a strong Canadian Open performance. The 2024 U.S. Open finalist plays some of his best tennis on American hard courts, with a solid ground game to back up his elite serve. Fritz could face either American compatriot Frances Tiafoe or Holger Rune in the quarterfinals, but it's tough to see him beating Sinner in the semis or Alcaraz in the final given Fritz's 1-7 combined record against those two.
Sleepers
Daniil Medvedev (+2800) - Medvedev has struggled mightily in 2025 and certainly doesn't seem to be in the best head space at the moment, but this is a nice buy-low opportunity on the 12th-seeded Russian. His game is best suited for fast hard courts, where Medvedev's unconventional flatter strokes penetrate the court effectively. Medvedev won the title here in 2019 and has played in six hard-court Grand Slam finals, winning one. If he can beat Jiri Lehecka in the third round and Shelton in the Round of 16, Medvedev could get the confidence boost he needs to go toe to toe with Zverev, Alcaraz and Sinner.
Frances Tiafoe (+8000) - Tiafoe's another American who plays his best tennis on home soil. The two-time U.S. Open semifinalist could reach the quarterfinals and set up a rematch of the 2024 semifinal against Fritz by beating Ugo Humbert and Holger Rune. The key for the 10th-seeded Tiafoe will be first serve percentage, as he has an especially stark drop off between the effectiveness of his first serve compared to his second serve.
Felix Auger-Aliassime (+13000) - Auger-Aliassime failed to impress the home crowd with an early Canadian Open exit, but the big server has a nice opportunity to bounce back with a favorable draw in Cincinnati. The other three seeds in FAA's immediate section are potential third-round opponent Casper Ruud, as well as Lorenzo Musetti and Stefanos Tsitsipas. All three of those players play their best tennis on surfaces other than hard courts and have dealt with issues due to injuries or poor form in 2025. Auger-Aliassime is a two-time Cincinnati Open quarterfinalist and has a nice path to a third one here, at which point his chalk opponent would be Sinner.
Fade
Alex de Minaur (+2800) - De Minaur has proven effective on both slow and fast courts, but the No. 6 seed's inability to generate free points with his serve will make this a tough slog for him in the early rounds. Big-serving American Reilly Opelka is a potential second-round opponent who usually needs just one break to seal a set, while Andrey Rublev and Alexei Popyrin would both have the power to control rallies against de Minaur in a possible Round of 16 matchup. If de Minaur reaches the quarterfinals, he would likely face Alcaraz, against whom the Australian counterpuncher is 0-4.
Cincinnati Open Picks: Women's Tournament
The Favorite
Aryna Sabalenka (+360) - Sabalenka's at her best on hard courts, having played in each of the last five Grand Slam finals on this surface and won the Cincinnati Open last year. She has consistently reached the semifinals or better in WTA 1000 and Grand Slam events, though the world No. 1 could face an early test in this one with Marketa Vondrousova -- who beat Sabalenka on grass in June -- as a possible second-round opponent. Sabalenka could meet Keys or Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals, and Swiatek or Anisimova in the semis. The Belarusian's powerful ground game should work well in these fast conditions, supporting her spot as the oddsmakers' favorite.
In the Mix
Iga Swiatek (+500) - Swiatek underperformed for much of 2025 before breaking through for her sixth career Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. That result showed she can thrive in faster conditions despite being most comfortable on clay, though Swiatek's coming off a Round of 16 loss to Clara Tauson at the Canadian Open. Seeded No. 3 here, Swiatek has some tricky opponents in her section, with Marta Kostyuk as her chalk third-round opponent and Diana Shnaider or surging teenager Victoria Mboko in the Round of 16. Anisimova's a potential quarterfinal opponent in what would be a tough mental hurdle for the American, who lost 6-0, 6-0 to Swiatek in the Wimbledon final.
Coco Gauff (+850) - Gauff has been in a tailspin since winning the French Open, struggling to adjust back to faster court conditions while battling the yips on her serve. The No. 2 seed is just 2-3 since her Roland Garros triumph. Gauff won Cincinnati in 2023 when she was playing the best hard-court tennis of her career and subsequently went on to win the U.S Open, but she's far from that form at the moment. To make matters trickier, potential third-round opponent Dayana Yastremska recently upset Gauff in the first round of Wimbledon. Potential quarterfinal opponents for Gauff include Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina or Naomi Osaka.
Elena Rybakina (+1400) - Rybakina has the potential to go toe to toe with the game's top players but rarely puts together extended healthy stretches at her top level. She has been in great form in Canada, and Rybakina's big serve and groundstrokes should work well on the fast hard courts in Cincinnati. The downside of missing out on a top-eight seed is on full display here for No. 9 Rybakina, who could face Keys in the Round of 16 and Sabalenka in the final.
Madison Keys (+1600) - Keys beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final this year and could face her in a quarterfinal rematch here if the sixth-seeded American gets by Rybakina first. The big-hitting American has cooled down a bit after a red-hot start to 2025 that included two early hard-court titles, but she's still 35-11 this year. She won the Cincinnati Open back in 2019.
Naomi Osaka (+1600) - Osaka's enjoying a resurgence at the Canadian Open under new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. The four-time hard-court Grand Slam champion has always been by far at her best on this surface. Osaka's inability to get her ranking up has continuously created difficult draws for her, and this tournament is no exception. She could face No. 20 seed Linda Noskova in the second round, No. 10 Svitolina in the third round and No. 7 Paolini in the Round of 16, just to get to a possible quarterfinal against Gauff. Osaka has the tools to navigate this tough draw with her powerful serve and groundstrokes, but an early exit also wouldn't be surprising with the tough turnaround after Canada.
Jessica Pegula (+2000) - Pegula had been building momentum heading into Wimbledon but lost in the first round there to start off an ugly 1-3 run. Tauson or Belinda Bencic would both fancy their chances against Pegula in the Round of 16 given the No. 4 seed's recent form. Emma Navarro and Karolina Muchova are possible quarterfinal opponents for Pegula.
Sleepers
Clara Tauson (+2100) - Tauson's Canadian Open run is showcasing her high ceiling, as the big-hitting Dane just notched back-to-back straight-sets wins over Swiatek and Keys. She'll have a nice opportunity to carry that momentum into the next WTA 1000 event. The other three top-16 seeds in the 16th-seeded Tauson's section are No. 4 Pegula, No. 8 Navarro and No. 11 Muchova, none of whom have looked particularly impressive lately, so Tauson has a realistic path to another semifinal here.
Amanda Anisimova (+2900) - Anisimova has rapidly ascended the rankings by finally putting together the breakout season that she seemed destined for years ago. The No. 5 seed has a decent draw, with No. 12 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova as her biggest obstacle to the quarterfinals. After that, Anisimova would potentially get a crack at avenging her embarrassing performance in the Wimbledon final against Swiatek. The American would certainly have a fighting chance considering nerves played a major role in the one-sidedness of their previous meeting. If Anisimova faces Sabalenka in the semis, Anisimova would have a 6-3 head-to-head edge to fall back on.
Jelena Ostapenko (+8000) - Consistency isn't Ostapenko's strong suit, but the big-hitting Latvian has a nice opportunity here in Gauff's section of the draw. No. 15 seed Daria Kasatkina is the chalk third-round opponent for the 23rd-seeded Ostapenko, with Gauff as a potential opponent in the Round of 16. Ostapenko's 6-0 career head-to-head edge over Swiatek demonstrates Ostapenko's high ceiling, and she has reached three WTA 1000 finals in her career to go with a title at the 2017 French Open.
Fade
Coco Gauff (+850) - Gauff's go-to strategy when she's struggling is to play lockdown defense, but it's especially hard to win that way in quick conditions like those in Cincinnati. Big hitters such as Yastremska and Ostapenko could capitalize on Gauff's struggles, and the No. 2 seed is unlikely to flip a switch and find her game given her recent run of losses and serving issues. Gauff just coughed up 42 double faults in three matches at the Canadian Open and made just 43 percent of first serves in her loss to Mboko.
Sasha's Picks to Win the Cincinnati Open
Jannik Sinner has clearly established himself as the world's best hard-court player, and he just defeated Alcaraz in fast conditions at Wimbledon to finally reclaim momentum in their head-to-head. Not only is Sinner better at avoiding surprising losses at this surface, but he would also be in strong position to win a potential final against Alcaraz despite Sinner's current deficit in their hard-court head-to-head.
Iga Swiatek already has one recent surprising big title in fast conditions under her belt, and she could add another here by tacking on a first career Cincinnati title on top of her Wimbledon title. Sabalenka has had the more consistent season, but Swiatek is pretty firmly established as the best player of this generation, even if these aren't her ideal surface conditions. Despite the top half of the draw being the harder half on paper, Swiatek's path isn't too daunting, as she should have a clear advantage over every opponent on her path to the semifinals. If she reaches the final, Swiatek would be tough to stop given her 16-2 career record in Grand Slam or WTA 1000 championship matches.
