WTA Cincinnati Open 2025: Results, Schedule of play, Prize money, Draw and Predictions

The 2025 Cincinnati Open features a 96-player singles draw on hardcourts, right in the middle of the North American hardcourt swing between August 6 and 18, 2025. The field is led by World No. 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka – for whom this will be her only hardcourt tournament before defending her title at the US Open.

Several big names from the WTA Tour will join, seeking a final opportunity to build confidence on hardcourts before reaching the year's last Grand Slam. Coco Gauff (2023) and Madison Keys (2019) are among the former champions who arrive in good form and will also have the home crowd behind them.

Samuel Gill, Head Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees a blank slate and one that will see big names not necessarily thrive.

While she is a big name, Jessica Pegula is either one extreme to another right now. She's either incredible or not anywhere near and I think she will be incredible this next week to really stake her claim for the US Open.

Defending a huge points haul, I expect her and also Emma Navarro to come out firing as they aim to have huge weeks ahead. Aryna Sabalenka I expect to be opposite, I expect an early loss then for her to win the US Open. Coco Gauff I expect a similar fate given her double fault woes.

So either Iga Swiatek for me or Jessica Pegula. While I also wouldn't count out Anna Kalinskaya after her epic DC run and even Emma Raducanu or Leylah Fernandez in that question. players on form are hard to top.

*** Jessica Pegula

** Iga Swiatek, Anna Kalinskaya

* Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez and Amanda Anisimova

Cristhian Avila, Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees Iga Swiatek returning in some style. The return of Aryna Sabalenka will be the big question mark of the tournament, especially after another painful Grand Slam defeat (semifinals against Anisimova). The defending champion will be playing her first tournament on hard courts, but she always shows that she doesn't need much time to adapt.

However, my favorite for the title this time is Iga Swiatek. She's full of confidence and will arrive after a few matches at Canadian Open. The Wimbledon champion is not sufficiently valued on hard courts, but with her current confidence, she will be the one to beat.

Coco Gauff, on the other hand, had problems in her Canadian Open debut, and the pressure will be on her as the main local hope. After a poor grass-court season, she hasn't been very convincing at the start of the action in Montreal, and I don't think she'll reach her top level until the US Open begins. Mirra Andreeva and Elena Rybakina are other players who could be contenders for the title if they can play their best tennis. I wouldn't be surprised to see either of them in a potential final.

Karolina Muchova and Belinda Bencic are also names to watch this time around. The Czech player is returning to a surface she likes and has better match rhythm after Montreal. Bencic, for her part, has been consistent all year, and after reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, she'll be ready to take a step forward at a WTA 1000 event.

* Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka

** Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Elena Rybakina

*** Karolina Muchova, Belinda Bencic

Back in 2024, Jessica Pegula also reached the final as the 6th seed, preceding her run to the US Open final a couple of weeks later – her only Grand Slam final played. The local players will also benefit from the support of the home crowd for Amanda Anisimova, who will surely welcome it as she looks to regain the great form she showed at Wimbledon, which took her to the final.

The All England Club champion – Iga Swiatek – is another confirmed name in Cincinnati and appears as a strong candidate for the title. Last year, she reached the semifinals of the tournament – falling to eventual champion Sabalenka – which was her best hardcourt performance in the second half of the year. On her way, she eliminated Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, another name to watch this year in Cincinnati, arriving as the 5th seed and as champion of two of the four WTA 1000 tournaments played on hardcourts this season (Indian Wells, Dubai).

Czech players Marketa Vondrousova and Petra Kvitova are among the names who will use their protected ranking to enter the main draw. Another player who has confirmed her presence is former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, who will have another chance to showcase her talent on the North American hardcourts, in a tournament where she has not secured prior wins.

The draw will be packed with the best players in the world, with other high-profile names confirmed in the main draw, such as Elena Rybakina, Paula Badosa, Jasmine Paolini, Emma Raducanu, and Naomi Osaka, among others.