The Cincinnati Open women’s singles draw has been released, revealing a competitive field of 94 players and a top half brimming with compelling storylines. Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 and defending champion, enters the tournament aiming to build momentum for the US Open after skipping the Canadian Open. Her section of the draw is challenging, with potential early encounters against Marketa Vondrousova, who bested her in Berlin, and 30th seed Emma Raducanu, who has shown marked improvement recently. Sabalenka could then meet 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova before a projected quarter-final against sixth seed Madison Keys, the 2019 champion. Keys faces a tough path that could include Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and ninth seed Elena Rybakina.

Iga Swiatek, seed number three, might square off against Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final rematch of their recent Wimbledon clash. Swiatek demonstrated her top form with a dominant Wimbledon victory but was upset by Clara Tauson at Montreal this week. Swiatek’s draw appears manageable initially, with Marta Kostyuk a possible round-three opponent, though injury concerns linger. Anisimova’s return post-Wimbledon has been solid, but she faces potentially difficult matches against Anna Kalinskaya and Ekaterina Alexandrova.

In another quarter, the eighth seed Emma Navarro and fourth seed Jessica Pegula have both struggled with consistent form, potentially opening opportunities for others like 16th seed Tauson or 17th seed Belinda Bencic. Navarro encounters a formidable early-round opponent in Polina Kudermetova and could face the improved McCartney Kessler or 11th seed Karolina Muchova later.

Coco Gauff, the tournament’s second seed and 2023 champion, looks to regain her Cincinnati form after an early exit in 2024 and a disappointing serving display in Montreal. She may face tough tests early against Dayana Yastremska, her conqueror at Wimbledon, and Jelana Ostapenko, with Naomi Osaka also a potential quarter-final opponent. Osaka, benefiting from a first-round bye, could meet 10th seed Elina Svitolina en route.

Predictions include Sabalenka defeating Rybakina and later Swiatek in a projected semi-final, who herself is expected to overcome Alexandrova. Tauson is favored over Kessler and then Osaka, with Sabalenka ultimately prevailing over Tauson in the final. The Cincinnati Open promises tightly contested matches as leading contenders seek to establish form on hard courts ahead of the US Open.

Venus Williams’ return to the WTA Tour at the Cincinnati Open marks her second event after a 16-month hiatus. Despite extensive media attention focused on her age, 45, Williams insists that age has never dictated her performance or goals. “I feel great,” she said before the tournament began. “You’re never too young or too old to win or to lose. Winning and losing knows no age.”

Williams’ career began at age 14, a memory she fondly recalls alongside a Rolling Stones concert playing nearby. “They didn’t know I was playing next door,” she said. “So, Mick Jagger, my message to you is that I was playing my first professional match next to you.”

Her absence from the tour has been due to health challenges, not age. In 2024, she underwent surgery for uterine fibroids and quietly fell off the rankings. Yet her commitment to tennis remained steady during her recovery. “I felt like I had time just to get well,” Williams explained. “When I was on the court, I was always working on my game. Even if it was just a half hour, I still wanted to get something out of it.”

Her recent return at the Mubadala Citi DC Open saw Williams secure her first singles win since 2023, defeating Peyton Stearns in straight sets. She became the oldest woman to win a match on tour since Martina Navratilova two decades ago and also advanced in doubles with Hailey Baptiste. She credits love as the sustaining force behind her comeback. “Love is the key, right? If you don’t love it, then get out of it if you can, if you have that luxury,” she said.

Williams’ philosophy centers on living life on her own terms, unapologetically and without regrets. “Your terms should be yours. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks. I do what I do because I want to live life the way I want to, unapologetically, with no regrets, on my terms,” she shared. “Do my terms always come out the way I want them to? No. But at least I tried to live on my own terms, and that’s super important to me.”

Looking ahead, Williams plans to compete through the US Open, remaining noncommittal about extending her return beyond 2025. “I’m very much in the moment. I don’t think you should ever rule me out. That’s all I can say.”

The draws for the 2025 Cincinnati Open have been released, showcasing defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka as the top seeds in the men’s and women’s singles events. Sinner, 23, who claimed his first Cincinnati title in 2024 and went on to win the US Open that year, currently holds three Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2025. After a first-round bye, Sinner will open his campaign against either Vit Kopriva or a qualifier/lucky loser. His section of the draw includes notable opponents such as Gabriel Diallo (No. 30 seed) and Tommy Paul (No. 13 seed), with potential matches against Lorenzo Musetti (No. 6 seed) in the quarterfinals and Taylor Fritz (No. 4 seed) in the semifinals.

In the opposite half of the men’s draw is the No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Roland Garros champion who lost his Wimbledon title to Sinner last month. Alcaraz seeks his first Cincinnati title and will face either Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzumhur in his opening round. His projected path to the final includes Tallon Griekspoor (No. 26), Jakub Mensik (No. 16), Alex de Minaur (No. 6), and Alexander Zverev (No. 3). American Ben Shelton, seeded fifth, is also in the bottom half, facing either Camilo Ugo Carabelli or Kei Nishikori in round one.

On the women’s side, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will start her title defense against either Marketa Vondrousova or Jaqueline Cristian. A possible third-round rematch with Emma Raducanu (No. 30 seed) looms, followed by potential matches against Madison Keys (No. 6 seed) and Iga Swiatek (No. 3 seed) in the semifinals. Sabalenka defeated Swiatek in the 2024 Cincinnati semifinals.

No. 2 seed Coco Gauff aims to regain form after an early loss in Montreal. She’ll face either Wang Xinyu or Emilia Arango and could meet Dayana Yastremska (No. 32 seed) in the third round. Additionally, former world No. 1 Venus Williams received a wild card entry. The 45-year-old, returning after a 16-month break, won her opening match last month and will face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round.