The Cincinnati Open kicked off on August 13 without two of the top favorites: reigning Wimbledon champion Yannick Sinner withdrew due to a knee injury, and Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to a wrist injury. The women’s team also suffered losses: Jasmine Paolini (last year’s finalist) and Emma Raducanu withdrew due to injuries.
The men’s team was left with Djokovic, Zverev (the top seed), Fritz and Shelton – they are now the main contenders for the trophy. A separate touching story: 39-year-old Gael Monfils played his 14th and last match in Cincinnati – the legend ends his career at the end of this season.
📊 For betting: the absence of Sinner and Alcaraz sharply opens the tournament grid, increases the real chances of Djokovic and Zverev for the title, and the odds on them are worth catching now, before it’s too late. Without the two main favorites, it is also worth looking at the “dark horses” for a passage to the 1/8 and quarterfinals.
