Tennis is back, after a four-month hiatus due to the global pandemic, the sport returns. One of the main tournaments on the shooting calendar is the Cincinnati Open and have announced their training for both male and female singles. Cincinnati will be the tournament before the US Open starting August 22nd.
On the female side, five players were given the wild card. Kim Clijsters, Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Caty Mcnally. Excluding Caty, the others are Grand Slam winners with champion Kim Clijsters also in Cincinnati in 2010. Caty Mcnally is an 18-year-old local from Cincinnati and ranked 119.
Other big names confirmed for the tournament are Serena Williams, Karolina Pliskova and the teenage sensation Coco Gauff. But the world no. 1 Ash Barty will not travel to the United States for the Cincinnati and the US Open. She doesn’t want to risk herself and her team.
“My team and I have decided that we will not travel to the United States … this year” Barty said in a statement
Cincinnati Masters will be the curtain rod for the ATP before the US Open
As for men, World No.1 Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will preside over the Masters tournament. There was first speculation about Nadal who was not traveling to the United States, but is now confirmed.
The tournament is in Flushing Meadows with the US Open also there. And so defending champion Daniil Medvedev would like to win as he reached the US Open finals the same year.
And surprisingly only two of the top 10 in the men’s rankings will not participate, namely Roger Federer and Gael Monfils. The number is much higher for women with five of the top 10 not playing.
The Cincinnati Masters will be played, initially with qualifying on August 20-21, the games in the main draw will begin on August 22. As tennis returns, all hopes will be a safe and enjoyable return.
Source: WSOPEN.com
