Cincinnati 2022: Women’s Singles Draw Preview and Prediction for Western & Southern Open

Cincinnati 2022: Women’s Singles Draw Preview and Prediction for Western & Southern Open

Iga Swiatek, Serena Williams, and Emma Raducanu

The 2022 Cincinnati Open will begin on August 15 and will be the last opportunity for the big names to gear up for the US Open. Iga Swiatek will lead the playing field.

Tournament Details:

  • Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2022
  • Date: August 15–21 2022
  • Number of Entrants: 64 (Singles), 32 (Doubles)
  • Venue: Cincinnati, USA
  • Surface: Hard Court
  • Prize Money: $2,527,250
  • Defending champion: Ash Barty

Top Seeds at the Western & Southern Open 2022

  • Iga Swiatek
  • Anett Kontaveit
  • Paula Badosa
  • Maria Sakkari
  • Ons Jabeur
  • Aryna Sabalenka
  • Jessica Pegula
  • Garbine Muguruza

Women’s Singles Draw Preview

Top Half

Iga Swiatek during the first round at BNP Paribas Open
Iga Swiatek during the first round at BNP Paribas Open

World No.1 and French Open champion Iga Swiatek will headline the draw and gets a first-round bye along with the other top 8 seeds. She will open her campaign against either former US Open champion Sloane Stephens or Alize Cornet. The nightmare draw for Swiatek will see her face either Jelena Ostapenko or in form Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third round. Madison Keys and Yulia Putintseva are also in the upper bracket of the draw.

8th seed Garbine Muguruza is expected to take on Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in her opening match and is drawn opposite of French Open finalist Coco Gauff who will face a qualifier in the first round. Gauff will then face either Alison Riske or Sara Sorribes Tormo in the second round. The 18-year-old is expected to face either Rybakina or Muguruza in the Round of 16.

FS Video

Third seed Paula Badosa will open against a qualifier in the second round and could face either Simona Halep, Barbora Krejcikova, Veronika Kudermetova, or Karolina Muchova in the third round. Needless to say, anyone of the 4 women could make it to the last 16 and beyond.

5th seed Ons Jabeur will face either Aliaksandra Sasnovich or Catherine McNally in the second round. She is drawn opposite Olympic champion Belinda Bencic who opens against Sorana Cirstea. Jil Teichmann and Petra Kvitova are also in the same bracket and could face Bencic in the third round.

1st Semifinal Prediction: Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep

Bottom Half

Anett Kontaveit
Anett Kontaveit

Despite being in terrible form, Anett Kontaveit will headline the bottom half of the draw. The bottom half is tightly packed and will see mouth-watering matches right from the first round. Kontaveit will open against a qualifier in the second round and is drawn opposite US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez. The Canadian will face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round and could face 4-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka in the Round of 32. Osaka will take on Shuai Zhang in the opening round.

6th seed Aryna Sabalenka will face either Martina Trevisan or a qualifier in the second round. She could go on to face Daria Kasatkina in the Round of 16 who opens against Amanda Anisimova. Kasatkina will face the winner of the match between Sofia Kenin and Shelby Rogers.

The third quarter of the draw will feature some of the biggest names in contemporary tennis. 4th seed Maria Sakkari will face a qualifier or Alison Van Uytvanck in the second round and is drawn to face Karolina Pliskova in the Round of 16. Pliskova will face American legend, Venus Williams, in the opening round and could face Elise Mertens in the next round.

7th seed Jessica Pegula will face either Camila Giorgi or Bianca Andreescu in the second round. The highlight of the draw will be the first-round match between Emma Raducanu, the US Open champion, and Serena Williams, who will play her penultimate tournament before retiring. The match is considered to be the ‘battle of the generations’. The winner will then face either Victoria Azarenka or Kaia Kanepi in the second round.

2nd Semifinal Prediction: Karolina Pliskova vs Aryna Sabalenka

Also Read: “Sisters that are dynamic as a duo but just as iconic individuals!” Steve Weissman wants Venus and Serena Williams to play together for one last time

Semifinals

Karolina Pliskova
Karolina Pliskova

Top seed Iga Swiatek will battle against veteran Simona Halep in the first semifinal. Swiatek has been the best player this season but off late, has shown a lot of inconsistency. On the other hand, Halep is slowly coming close to her peak and would not make life easier for Swiatek. Expect a good match with Swiatek just edging past Halep.

In the second semifinal, Karolina Pliskova will face Aryna Sabalenka. Both Pliskova and Sabalenka have very contrasting game styles. Pliskova relies on her serve while Sabalenka’s serve is her biggest nightmare. Expect a match with short rallies and Pliskova is expected to come out the victor.

Cincinnati Open Final: Iga Swiatek vs Karolina Pliskova

Final

Iga Swiatek at Poland Open
Iga Swiatek

World No.1 Iga Swiatek will face former World No.1 Karolina Pliskova in the final of the 2022 Cincinnati Open. Swiatek will have an edge going into the match but given her recent form, things could swing either way. Pliskova will have to serve her way into the match and also be ready for the baseline power of Swiatek. Expect a very solid match with Swiatek winning her fourth WTA 1000 title of the year.

Champion: Iga Swiatek

Also Read: “Can we go ahead and let him play?” Seth Dillon DEMANDS Novak Djokovic be allowed to play the US Open after the government deemed unvaccinated people as ‘not’ evil and dangerous

Also Read: “You’re just unattractive!” When Serena Williams launched a vigorous verbal assault on a chair umpire at the 2011 US Open

Do follow us on: Google News | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter