Western & Southern Open 2025 betting preview: Big names out in force in Cincinnati

As the calendar moves into August, there is a familiarity to the global tennis playing calendar, with all eyes turning towards the final Grand Slam of the year – the US Open beginning on 24 August.

The US hard court swing is always a very good barometer of who is going well ahead of Flushing Meadows and the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati is the biggest event in the run up to New York.

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ATP Western & Southern Open 2025 betting preview

Masters 1000 events always bring out the big names and nobody is bigger in men’s tennis currently than Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Both men have been enjoying well-earned down time following their runs to the final at SW19 and they will be desperate to get back into the swing of things here.

The late withdrawal of Novak Djokovic will present an opportunity for some lower-ranked players to make some serious moves. The Serb was due to return to competitive action for the first time since Wimbledon, but will wait for the US Open mixed doubles later this month. Nonetheless, the 56 player draw will house some of the very best operators on the ATP Tour.

Huge ranking point hauls and prize money are on offer here in Ohio and with previous winners including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and the aforementioned Djokovic, it carries the can as one of the biggest events outside of the majors.

ATP Cincinnati Open - The favourites

As with any event on the ATP Tour currently, having Sinner and Alcaraz in the mix always averts the eyes of any punter.

Sinner comfortably won this event in 2024 and there is a feeling that hard courts are his best surface, despite some excellent showings on grass and clay.

Being top seed here in Cincinnati should also help Sinner, who does look to be striking the ball brilliantly and he looks well placed to defend his title at 5/2 with Mr.Play.

Unusually for Carlos Alcaraz, this does feel like a tournament that is a bit of a free hit for him.

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His remarkable 24-match winning streak this summer came to an end in the Wimbledon final, but he is in fantastic shape ahead of this one.

Having not won this event in Cincinnati previously, could serve as extra motivation for the Spaniard and he shouldn’t be too far away at 7/2 with Betway.

A name that could go under the radar a touch here in Ohio is Alexander Zverev, who won this event back in 2021.

He has been in action in Canada in the build up to this one, finding his rhythm and on hard courts, he can be irrepressible.

Zverev will need to find another gear to go all the way against this field in Cincy, but he is worth a look at 8/1 to win the event with ZetBet.

ATP Cincinnati Open - Extra tips

Home favourites are always heavily backed in American tournaments, and the form of Frances Tiafoe has been eye-catching of late.

Cam Norrie outdid him on the grass at Wimbledon, but he has bounced back well and should feel at home in this environment.

Tiafoe is 6/1 to reach the last eight this week and a rather tempting 12/1 to win his quarter – both with BetMGM.

On a similar theme, both Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul are both ticking along nicely in the build-up to the US Open.

Both men have games made for hard court tennis and look decent value to pick up a big Masters tournament scalp at 16/1 and 25/1 respectively with Mr.Play.

FIRST’s top tip for the ATP Cincinnati Open

Plenty have claims this week, but it does feel that if Jannik Sinner is in the groove, nobody can stop him.

Confidence should be high following his Wimbledon triumph, and he has a title and points to defend here.

Pick: Jannik Sinner to win ATP Cincinnati Open (outright) – 5/2 with Mr.Play.

WTA Western & Southern Open 2025 betting preview

The sight of Iga Swiatek holding the Wimbledon trophy felt incomprehensible at times during 2025, but the Pole reminded the world of her quality impressively at Wimbledon.

Clinching her sixth Grand Slam title has propelled Swiatek well beyond her peers Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, all of whom are in action here in Cincinnati.

As the undoubted top three in women’s tennis, they will all be looking to get their ducks in a row ahead of the US Open – an event all three players have won before.

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While Swiatek’s game looks to be in a great place, Gauff is chasing form following a couple of recent early exits. Sabalenka meanwhile is the defending champion both here in Cincinnati and at Flushing Meadows and she should have the bit between her teeth this week.

Much like the men’s event, the best players on the WTA Tour will be desperate to put their best foot forward here and the stakes are high.

WTA Cincinnati Open - The favourites

World number one Aryna Sabalenka has been left to rue losses in each of her last three Grand Slams and she will be desperate to set the record straight in her US Open defence this year.

Winning in Cincy in 2024 was a huge step forward for Sabalenka, who carried her confidence from that over into New York.

She is viewed as a hard court specialist and she will be the one to catch at the top of the draw, making her the justified tournament favourite at 4/1 with BetMGM.

Iga Swiatek’s win at SW19 has instilled plenty of confidence into backers once again too, with the Pole impossible to break down if she finds her A game.

Gauging where her game is at following a decent break after Wimbledon is tricky, but she should be firmly in the mix at 9/2 with Betway.

Home support will firmly lie with Coco Gauff, who has seen her form dip markedly since winning the French Open back in June.

She won this event back in 2023 and loves playing on fast, hard courts, making her well worth a look at 11/2 with Mr.Play to go all the way.

WTA Cincinnati Open - Extra tips

No matter the event, the WTA can always throw up some surprise performers and this week in Ohio should be absolutely no different.

Arguably the forgotten woman on the tour currently is Elena Rybakina, who hasn’t enjoyed the consistency of the aforementioned top three.

That does not take anything away from her capacity to hit through people though and Cincinnati looks a great pick for her on paper.

She will be hoping for a decent draw but looks very good value at 9/1 to lift the title with ZetBet.

Home favourite Amanda Anisimova suffered a chastening experience in the Wimbledon final, but she looks to have taken it firmly in her stride.

She bounced back impressively in Toronto, comfortably seeing off Emma Raducanu and she is a burgeoning talent on the WTA Tour.

Masters events present her the chance to pick up big ranking points and she represents excellent value to go all the way at 20/1 with Mr.Play. 

FIRST’s top tip for the WTA Cincinnati Open

Ascertaining where each player is at, ahead of the Western & Southern Open this week isn’t easy, but Aryna Sabalenka is always a force on hard courts.

She is still smarting from her Wimbledon semi-final loss, which should fire her up here and she will be desperate to defend her title in Ohio too. 

Pick: Aryna Sabalenka to win WTA Cincinnati Open (outright) – 4/1 with Mr.Play.

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All odds correct at the time of writing