(VIDEO) Almost all top 20 ATP players set to compete at Cincinnati Open for first time in a decade

Tuesday, 15 August 2023 at 18:43

All but one of the top 20 ATP players will be competing at the Western & Southern Cincinnati Open for the first time since 2013.

Every player from world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz down to No. 20 Hubert Hurkacz was set to compete at the ATP Masters 1000 event this week but unfortunately, eleventh seed Karen Khachanov had to withdraw at the last minute.

Nevertheless, the field is still stacked with talent as the top players in the world continue their journey toward the upcoming US Open, starting on August 28, and this tournament could almost act as a preview for the Grand Slam.

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Djokovic back for first time since 2020

World No. 16 Borna Coric is the tournament's defending champion, but maintaining the title will be a difficult task, not least because 23-time Grand Slam champion and current world No. 2 Novak Djokovic is back at the event for the first time in three years.

Meanwhile, there is the challenge posed by top seed Alcaraz, who defeated Djokovic at Wimbledon earlier this month.

However, it will be interesting to see if the Spaniard has improved his form since the Canadian Open last week, where he struggled more than usual and was defeated by world No. 13 Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals.

Moreover, No. 6 Jannik Sinner is coming into the tournament off the back of securing his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto, and his fellow finalist Alex de Minaur is also fresh off the success of rising six places in the ATP rankings to No. 12.