Ricky’s preview and picks for the Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati Masters

By Ricky Dimon

We’re on to Cincinnati.

The American hard-court summer time continues with the Western & Southern Open and the U.S. Open is barely two weeks away. Cincinnati is a large match on the schedule, as will probably be the final time many of the prime gamers on the earth take the courtroom previous to the season’s remaining Grand Slam. It can additionally finalize U.S. Open seeding, so guys simply outdoors the highest 32 will probably be desperate to submit a great end in an effort to interrupt into seeding vary.

Even the No. 1 spot is up for grabs. If Rafael Nadal wins the Cincinnati title and Daniil Medvedev loses previous to the quarterfinals, there will probably be a change on the prime. Nadal’s return from an stomach damage sustained at Wimbledon and his first look at this occasion since 2017 makes for loads of intrigue even within the absence of Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev—and Roger Federer, after all. Additionally within the draw are Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Nick Kyrgios, and Montreal semifinalists Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz.

Western & Southern Open

The place: Cincinnati, Ohio
Prize cash: $6,280,880
Prime seed: Daniil Medvedev
2021 champion: Alexander Zverev (not enjoying)

Nadal’s draw is a good one by way of a minimum of two matches, so he ought to be capable to play his means into the match and shake off any outcome with out an excessive amount of bother. The 36-year-old Spaniard awaits both Borna Coric or a qualifier earlier than probably working into countryman Roberto Bautista Agut. Felix Auger-Aliassime is a possible quarterfinal foe for Nadal, though primarily based on present type a extra seemingly adversary is Jannik Sinner. Each Auger-Aliassime and Sinner are in a tough part, nevertheless, with Alex de Minaur, Pablo Carreno Busta, and Miomir Kecmanovic all shut by.

Nadal and Alcaraz are on a collision course for an all-Spanish semifinal within the backside half of the bracket. Alcaraz’s draw is a good one, though each Casper Ruud and Cameron Norrie are in advantageous type. Andy Murray vs. Stan Wawrinka is a notable first-round showdown between three-time Grand Slam champions within the Alcaraz part of the bracket.

The highest half is deeper due to a formidable unseeded contingent. That group consists of Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, Karen Khachanov, John Isner, Botic van de Zandschulp, Maxime Cressy, Tommy Paul, Jenson Brooksby, Brandon Nakashima, Dan Evans, and Frances Tiafoe. Medvedev will kick off his marketing campaign towards both Cressy or Van de Zandschulp and the top-ranked Russian’s subsequent match would come towards both Shapovalov, Paul, Brooksby, or Grigor Dimitrov. In different phrases, Medvedev sustaining the No. 1 rating is way from a assure.

Quarterfinal picks: Taylor Fritz over Daniil Medvedev, Brandon Nakashima over Sebastian Korda, Carlos Alcaraz over Cameron Norrie, and Rafael Nadal over Jannik Sinner

Semifinals: Fritz over Nakashima and Nadal over Alcaraz

Remaining: Nadal over Fritz

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can comply with him on twitter at @Dimonator.