The men's and women's singles draw for the Cincinnati Open has been announced—Novak Djokovic will miss the chance to defend his title.
The men's and women's singles draw for the 2024 Cincinnati Open (ATP/WTA 1000) was unveiled on August 11, with the tournament taking place from August 13 to 19. As one of the key "warm-up" events ahead of the U.S. Open, this year's competition has attracted nearly all of the top-ranked players—except for Novak Djokovic, who is resting. Chinese players Zhang Zhizhen, Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Shuai, Wang Xinyu, and Yuan Yue have all received direct entry into the main draw.
In the men's singles draw, world No. 1 Sinner and world No. 3 Alcaraz lead the field as the top two seeds, while Zverev, Medvedev, Hurkacz, Rublev, Ruud, and Dimitrov are seeded third through eighth, respectively. Meanwhile, Djokovic, who just completed the Golden Slam at the Paris Olympics, has withdrawn from this tournament, missing out on the chance to defend his title—and could potentially skip straight to the U.S. Open instead.
In the top half of the draw, 20-year-old Sinner, as the world No. 1, will undoubtedly be the biggest highlight. He’ll face challenges in the tournament from both other seeded players and unseeded competitors. Players like Humbert, Rublev, Zverev, or Dimitrov could all emerge as potential rivals, making the path to the final anything but easy.
Chinese player Zhang Zhizhen is also in the top half of the draw, with his first-round opponent set to be French player Pericard. If Zhang manages to defeat Pericard, he’ll face No. 6 seed Rublev in the second round—a match that will undoubtedly be a tough one. But regardless of the outcome, Zhang’s participation is sure to inject fresh energy into Chinese tennis.
In the bottom half of the draw, Alcaraz, ranked No. 3 in the world and a recent champion at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, will lead the charge as players in this section battle fiercely—his performance will directly shape the competitive dynamics of the entire bottom half. His potential opponents include Rune, Ruud, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, or Hurkacz.
In the women's singles draw, Swiatek and Gauff are seeded No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, each anchoring the top and bottom halves of the bracket. Meanwhile, Sabalenka, Rybakina, Paolini, Pegula, Zheng Qinwen, and Ostapenko are placed as seeds Nos. 3 through 8.
The top seeds in the upper half include Swiatek (No. 1), Sabalenka (No. 3), Paolini (No. 5), and Ostapenko (No. 8). As the No. 1 seed, Swiatek will draw intense attention in every match she plays. The biggest highlight of the upper half is whether Swiatek can eventually face Sabalenka in the semifinals.
The main seeds in the bottom half include Gauff (No. 2), Rybakina (No. 4), Pegula (No. 6), and Zheng Qinwen (No. 7). Competition in this section is equally fierce, with defending champion Gauff set to face tough challenges from the other seeded players. In particular, her potential matchup against Zheng Qinwen has already drawn significant attention.
Zheng Qinwen, China's top female tennis player who just clinched the gold medal in women's singles at the Paris Olympics, is currently at the peak of her game and form. Her match against Gauff is undoubtedly set to be the highlight clash in the bottom half of the draw. Meanwhile, No. 4 seed Rybakina is also drawing significant attention with her impressive performances.
Apart from Zheng Qinwen, who entered the main draw as the No. 7 seed, Chinese players Wang Xinyu, Yuan Yue, and Zhang Shuai also successfully secured their spots in the main draw bracket. Wang Xinyu’s first-round opponent is Samsonova, Yuan Yue will face Fernandez in her opening match, while Zhang Shuai’s opponent is the recently red-hot Schnur—making her path to advancement look particularly challenging.
The Cincinnati Open, a prestigious 1000-level tournament featuring both men's and women's competitions, clearly commands significant influence and attention—especially with the upcoming U.S. Open. Players who have earned the right to qualify typically make an appearance, making the competition particularly fierce. This intense rivalry already offers a glimpse into which contenders might emerge as serious threats at the U.S. Open.
