No. 2 Naomi Osaka and No. 1 Ash Barty are returning to the court in Cincinnati.
The 2021 Western & Southern Open draw has been released, previewing some intriguing early-round matchups.
Main Draw at #CincyTennis, where Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka return to tour action as the top seeds. pic.twitter.com/OEvpqSvE1R— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 14, 2021
Main Draw at #CincyTennis, where Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka return to tour action as the top seeds. pic.twitter.com/OEvpqSvE1R
Osaka could face Coco Gauff in the second round should the 17-year-old phenom advance out of her first-round match. The American tennis star has the ability to upset Osaka, having defeated the world No. 2 in the 2020 Australian Open.
Another notable match is the first-round showdown between Madison Keys and No. 11 Petra Kvitova. Keys will be a formidable opponent for Kvitova, having won in Cincinnati in 2019.
No. 1 Barty will also make her triumphant return to the court after her historic Wimbledon win, receiving a bye in the first round.
The Western & Southern Open kicks off on Aug. 16 in Cincinnati.