ATP Tour

Scouting Report: Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev chase glory at the revamped Cincinnati Open

The second ATP Masters 1000 event of the North American summer takes place across the next 10 days at the Cincinnati Open in Ohio.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz lead the field at the hard-court event and could renew their thrilling Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry in the final, a week on Monday. Top 10 stars Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton will spearhead American hopes, while Alexander Zverev will try to add to his 2021 Cincinnati title.

ATPTour.com looks at 10 things to watch at the event, which has undergone a $260 million campus renovation in the past year.

1) Defending champ Sinner: Sinner triumphed in Ohio 12 months ago and returns to action for the first time since winning his maiden Wimbledon crown in July. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is 26-3 on the year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and is seeking his maiden Masters 1000 trophy of 2025.

2) Alcaraz back in action: Alcaraz will also compete for the first time since he lost to Sinner in the pair’s latest Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in the Wimbledon final. The Spaniard has captured a Tour-leading five titles in 2025, including Masters 1000 crowns in Monte-Carlo and Rome. The 22-year-old’s best result in Ohio came in 2023, when he lost in a three-set final thriller against Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz will open against Damir Dzumhur or Mattia Bellucci.

{{player.PlayerFirstName}} {{player.PlayerLastName}}

{{player.PlayerCountryCode}}

{{player.PlayerLastName}}

{{player.PartnerLastName}}

{{player.Record}}

Vs
wins

{{opponent.Record}}

Show H2H Detail

{{opponent.PlayerFirstName}} {{opponent.PlayerLastName}}

{{opponent.PlayerCountryCode}}

{{ opponent.PlayerLastName }}

{{opponent.PartnerLastName}}

• {{player.Ranking}} Rank {{opponent.Ranking}}
• {{player.Age ? player.Age : '-'}} Age {{opponent.Age ? opponent.Age : '-'}}

3) In-form Fritz: Fritz arrives in Cincinnati in red-hot form, having reached at least the quarter-finals in five of his past six events. The American made the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Toronto before falling to countryman Shelton, and he has won six of his past eight matches since his last four showing at Wimbledon. Chasing his second Masters 1000 crown, Fritz is in the same half of the draw as Sinner.

4) Can Zverev crack the winner's code? Zverev clinched the title in Cincinnati in 2021 and reached the semi-finals in 2023 and 2024. The German, who lost a third-set tie-break to Karen Khachanov in the semis in Toronto, is a seven-time Masters 1000 titlist, but has yet to triumph at this level in 2025. The 28-year-old will meet Gael Monfils or #NextGenATP American Nishesh Basavareddy in his opening match.

5) Americans Shelton, Tiafoe, Paul compete: Alongside Fritz and Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul will spearhead American hopes in Ohio. Shelton advanced to the last four in Washington and is into the final in Toronto. Tiafoe advanced to his maiden Masters 1000 final in Cincinnati last year, while Paul will look to find his groove in just his third event since Roland Garros and first since Wimbledon.

6) PIF ATP Live Race To Turin continues to heat up: The Live Race To Turin is taking shape and a host of players will hope to boost their Nitto ATP Finals hopes further in Cincinnati. Eighth-placed Alex de Minaur (2735 points), ninth-placed Lorenzo Musetti (2,660), 10th-placed Casper Ruud (2225), 11th-placed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (2080) and 12th-placed Andrey Rublev (2010) are well positioned. De Minaur is in the same quarter as Alcaraz with Rublev also in that section.

Italian Musetti has lost four of his past five matches and will try to break that slump, starting against Benjamin Bonzi or countryman Matteo Arnaldi. Both Ruud and Musetti are in Sinner’s quarter.

View the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin

7) #NextGenATP stars in action: Miami champion Jakub Mensik, Brazilian Joao Fonseca and Americans Learner Tien and Basavareddy are all set to make their debuts in Cincinnati. Mensik is the 16th seed and begins against Miomir Kecmanovic or Ethan Quinn and could face Alcaraz in the fourth round.

8) Can Medvedev, Tsitsipas find form? Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will hope Ohio is the setting for a return to form. Medvedev is 26-16 on the year and currently at No. 15 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings following a third-round exit in Toronto. Tsitsipas, who recently parted ways with Goran Ivanisevic after a short stint, has lost his past three tour-level matches. The Greek is No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings, his lowest position since July 2018.

9) Revamped venue: The Cincinnati Open begins Thursday and has undergone a major transformation as it expands to a 12-day, 96-player event in 2025, coinciding with a $260 million campus renovation. This expansion aims to enhance both player and fan experiences. The final will be played on Monday 18 August. Read more here…

10 Defending champions Arevalo/Pavic: Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic won in Cincinnati last year and the pair is currently second in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings behind Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. The Brits are also set to compete in Ohio. Singles stars Zverev, Shelton, Musetti, Rublev, Mensik, Davidovich Fokina, Flavio Cobolli, Karen Khachanov, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov are in doubles action.