The Cincinnati Open draw is set.
While the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz remains in Toronto, many players have shifted gears to the Cincinnati Open which begins main-draw play on Thursday, August 13.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka leads the field and is joined by Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff that lead each quarter of the draw.
In Cincinnati, 10 Grand Slam champions will compete, and Iga Swiatek (2025), Sabalenka (2024), Gauff (2023), Madison Keys (2019) and Karolina Pliskova (2016) are the five past winners of the event in this year's field.
With main draw play beginning in just a few days at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, here is a full breakdown on each quarter of the draw, including first-round matches to keep an eye on and potential quarterfinal showdowns. To see the full draw, click here.
Note: Qualifying will take place Tuesday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 12. More first-round matches will be confirmed then.
First quarter
First-round match to keep an eye on
Sara Bejlek vs. Karolina Pliskova: A clash of two Czech generations meets in this Cincinnati first-rounder between the crafty left-handed Bejlek against the 2016 champion and former No. 1 Pliskova. Both exited in the second round in Toronto, but seek to advance further, where compatriot Barbora Krejcikova awaits.
Additional first-round matches: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro vs. Anna Bondar; Daria Snigur vs. Yuliia Starodubtseva; Maria Timofeeva vs. Katerina Siniakova
Byes: [1] Aryna Sabalenka, [8] Elina Svitolina, [11] Naomi Osaka, [16] Ekaterina Alexandrova, [20] Madison Keys, [23] Barbora Krejcikova, [30] Leylah Fernandez, [31] Donna Vekic
Potential quarterfinal showdown
[1] Aryna Sabalenka vs. [11] Naomi Osaka: After eight years since their last meeting, Sabalenka and Osaka have formed a blossoming rivalry with four encounters in 2026. Osaka solved Sabalenka on grass at Wimbledon most recently, but both equally thrive on the hard courts and Cincinnati would be in for a treat should they reach the last eight.
Second quarter
First-round match to keep an eye on
Yulia Putintseva vs. Liudmila Samsonova: The winner of this first-rounder will meet Gauff in the Round of 64. Putintseva and Samsonova can give players trouble, evident in Putintseva's run to the fourth round at the Australian Open and Samsonova's near upset of Rybakina in Toronto. Plus, Putintseva ousted the then No. 2 seed Gauff from the 2024 Cincinnati Open Round of 32.
Additional first-round matches: Maya Joint vs. Tamara Korpatsch; Alycia Parks vs. Viktorija Golubic; [WC] Elvina Kalieva vs. Oleksandra Oliynykova
Byes: [4] Coco Gauff, [5] Mirra Andreeva, [10] Marta Kostyuk, [13] Iva Jovic, [22] Marie Bouzkova, [24] Anastasia Potapova, [28] Ann Li, [32] Janice Tjen
Potential quarterfinal showdown
[4] Coco Gauff vs. [10] Marta Kostyuk: Both players are neck and neck for the eighth spot in the Race to the WTA Finals. The two haven't played since 2024, and Kostyuk is a completely different player now than she was two years ago. Gauff has found a rhythm as of late with a deep run in Toronto, and she holds a 3-2 lead in the head to head.
Third quarter
First-round match to keep an eye on
Caty McNally vs. McCartney Kessler: An-all American battle in Mason, Ohio awaits between McNally and Kessler. McNally returns to Cincinnati, her home tournament, after a quarterfinal run in Memphis and third-round exit in Toronto. This is a repeat of a 2025 Cincinnati meeting, their lone matchup, which Kessler prevailed in straight sets.
Additional notable first-round matches: Katie Boulter vs. [WC] Katie Volynets; Elena-Gabriela Ruse vs. Magda Linette; Daria Kasatkina vs. Zeynep Sonmez; [WC] Darja Vidmanova vs. Anhelina Kalinina
Byes: [3] Jessica Pegula, [6] Linda Noskova, [9] Amanda Anisimova, [15] Sorana Cirstea, [17] Alexandra Eala, [18] Anna Kalinskaya, [25] Emma Navarro, [27] Clara Tauson
Potential quarterfinal showdown
[3] Jessica Pegula vs. [9] Amanda Anisimova: This matchup has been a difficult one for Anisimova, who is winless against Pegula in five tries. They played twice in three weeks this season from Australian Open and Dubai, but an all-American quarterfinal featuring Grand Slam finalists will likely excite the Cincinnati crowd.
Fourth quarter
First-round match to keep an eye on
Taylor Townsend vs. Camila Osorio: The winner of this first-rounder could be an intriguing opponent for the World No. 2 Rybakina, who will play the winner. Townsend's power left-handed game against the crafty Osorio will be a great matchup on its own in a stacked fourth quarter that has three Grand Slam champions.
Additional notable first-round matches: Kamilla Rakhimova vs. Kimberly Birrell; Diane Parry vs. [WC] Caroline Dolehide; Ashlyn Krueger vs. [WC] Lois Boisson; Tatjana Maria vs. Dayana Yastremska; Cristina Bucsa vs Panna Udvardy; Antonia Ruzic vs. Magdalena Frech
Venus Williams is also in this quarter of the draw and will face a qualifier. The winner would play Swiatek in the second round.
Byes: [2] Elena Rybakina, [7] Iga Swiatek, [12] Belinda Bencic, [14] Diana Shnaider, [19] Maja Chwalinska, [21] Elise Mertens, [26] Jelena Ostapenko, [29] Maria Sakkari
Potential quarterfinal showdown
[2] Elena Rybakina vs. [7] Iga Swiatek: The World No. 2 against the defending Cincinnati champion could be in the works for the quarterfinals. This rivalry has already recorded 12 editions with an even six to six split. Rybakina has won the last two meetings, but Swiatek knocked the Kazakh out of Cincinnati's semifinals in her quest to win the title.
