Emma Raducanu has been denied a wild card entry for the upcoming Cincinnati Open, while fellow British players Katie Boulter, Jack Draper, and Cameron Norrie have secured favorable draws for the prestigious tournament. This event is set to take place from August 12-19.
Raducanu recently reached the quarter-finals at the Mubadala Citi Open in Washington, where she faced eventual champion Paolo Badosa. However, hopes for a wildcard into Cincinnati were dashed as tournament organizers opted to grant main draw spots to Caroline Wozniacki, Bianca Andreescu, Peyton Stearns, and Caroline Dolehide.
With this decision, it is likely that the 21-year-old former US Open champion will head to New York without competing in Toronto and Cincinnati, potentially impacting her preparation for the US Open.
In contrast, top-seeded Boulter is poised to face Poland’s Magda Linette in her opening match and may encounter Liudmila Samsonova or Wang Xiyu in the subsequent round. Draper and Norrie are also set up against qualifiers in their initial matches, with potential high-stakes clashes on the horizon against top contenders, including ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and Polish powerhouse Hubert Hurkacz, respectively.
As the Cincinnati Open approaches, excitement builds around former champions like Carlos Alcaraz, who is expected to make his return to hard courts, potentially facing Gael Monfils or Alexei Popyrin. Current top seed Jannik Sinner will meet Tallon Griekspoor or a qualifier in his first match, with Alexander Zverev as a possible semi-final opponent.
In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff will strive to defend her title, while notable players such as Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina will compete for their first finals appearances in Cincinnati. This ATP/WTA 1000 hard-court event is shaping up to be a thrilling lead-up to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open.
Stay tuned to follow all the latest developments in the world of tennis as top players gear up for intense competition in the lead-up to the US Open, including events such as the Cincinnati Open and the Winston-Salem Open.
