With the draw now made, the preview is here for the 2023 Cincinnati Open (also known as the Western & Southern Open) which will take place between August 14-20 in Mason, Ohio.

Caroline Garcia is the defending champion and we will run through the main talking points ahead of another week of Masters 1000 action, the last before the US Open.

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Going into this next week as of time of writing, four players are still involved at the Canadian Open who will go into Cincinnati next week off the back of superb runs.

Those being World Number One, Iga Swiatek. She lost to Madison Keys last year in the Last 16 but is number one seed and comes into Cincinnati off the back of winning Warsaw and being in the semi-finals (at least in Montreal).

She will also of course go into the US Open as the favourite for the title and to retain her Flushing Meadows triumph from 12 months ago.

But she could face a familiar foe early. Danielle Collins lost to Swiatek in the Quarter-Finals in Canada in a resurgent run for the American and a second round tie could be on the card.

'Danimal' faces off against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round. Jessica Pegula will be one of two home favourites with Coco Gauff. The former gets Bernarda Pera or a qualifier.

While Elena Rybakina despite playing late most evenings this week and having issues with her shoulder and arm will also figure as one of the favourites. A tough examination also awaits with Jelena Ostapenko or Karolina Pliskova.

After her disappointment of again not getting World Number One, Aryna Sabalenka will face Magda Linette or a qualifier aiming to reach some form ahead of the US Open.

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Wozniacki - Svitolina, Brady-Vekic and Williams-Kudermetova top first round clashes

As well as the top seeds, there are top names who will come back to the fore at Cincinnati. Including the main clash of two mothers who have been full of praise for each other this week in Caroline Wozniacki and Elina Svitolina.

The winner of that clash will face Daria Kasatkina or home hope Peyton Stearns. While Jennifer Brady who showed so much in her full Masters 1000 return gets Donna Vekic.

Also Venus Williams will figure in Cincinnati, with the legend spending more time finding lost bags than on court recently. But she will hope to head to Cincinnati with her luggage and a confidence ahead of the US Open.

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