Even before the draw for the WTA 1000 table in Cincinnati (August 14-20), Caroline Garcia did not appear as a favorite, she who is defending her title acquired to everyone’s surprise in 2022. To make matters worse, the Lyonnaise n was not spoiled. Admittedly, she avoids a potential confrontation with her pet peeve, Marie Bouzkova, who dominated her at Wimbledon and then in Montreal. But she could have as her first opponent a Grand Slam winner, Sloane Stephens (38th), if the latter breaks away from the Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto (30th).
Then it could be recent Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova and then world number 1 Iga Swiatek in the quarters. This half of the table includes Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Petra Kvitova or even Belinda Bencic.
Svitolina-Wozniacki et Krejcikova-Azarenka
In the other half of the table which seems less dense, a first round will hold the attention: Elina Svitolina (26th), recent Wimbledon semi-finalist, and Caroline Wozniacki, who performed this week in Montreal on the circuit at 33 years, after more than three without playing and having given birth to two children. A clash between two Grand Slam winners, Barbora Krejcikova and Victoria Azarenka, also promises to be interesting.
Aryna Sabalenka, surprised in the round of 16 in Montreal, could be opposed in the quarterfinals to Ons Jabeur, who had dominated her in the semis of Wimbledon. And Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari potentially meet in the quarters.
Three French women in qualifying
If only Garcia has directly entered the table of this WTA 1000, three tricolors are in qualifications from Saturday and will try to join her: Varvara Gracheva (40th), who will start as a favorite against the Kazakh Anna Danilina (863rd), Alizé Cornet (60th) will face the German Laura Siegemund (111th) and Diane Parry (77th) will be opposed to the Italian Lucia Bronzetti (69th).
