5 Things To Watch Friday In Cincy

By Grant Thompson

Main draw action continues Friday at the Cincinnati Open, where several former champions and fan favorites are set to compete. Here are five things to watch.

Former Champion Garcia Continues Farewell Tour

Flashback to 2022 and Caroline Garcia made history in Cincinnati by becoming the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 title since the tier was created in 2009. En route to the trophy, Garcia ousted three Top 10 players: Maria Sakkari, Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka.

Now 31 years old, Garcia announced her upcoming retirement in May, with the US Open set to be her final competition. The Frenchwoman has also been bringing content to tennis fans through her podcast, Tennis Insider Club, which she hosts alongside her husband Borja Duran. They recently interviewed Cincinnati Open tournament director Bob Moran in an exclusive sit down, discussing the $260 million transformation of the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Garcia begins the day on P&G Center Court against Sonay Kartal, who made it to the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Coric Returns To Scene of Biggest Career Triumph

Continuing the theme of surprise champions, Borna Coric shocked the men’s field the same year Garcia won. By capturing his biggest career title, Coric, then No. 152, became the lowest-ranked titlist in tournament history. Similar to Garcia’s run, the Croatian ousted three Top-10 players, including Rafael Nadal in the second round and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final (also Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals). The former No. 12 faces American qualifier Emilio Nava in the second match on P&G Center Court.

Collins, Townsend Meet In All-American Showdown

Expect fireworks this side of I-71 when Danielle Collins and wild card Taylor Townsend meet in a must-see first-round clash. A battle of two heavy hitters, Collins and Townsend face off for the fourth time, but first since 2019 (Townsend leads head-to-head 2-1). Townsend, also the No. 1 doubles player, will look to use her net-game prowess to disrupt the baseline rhythm of 2022 Australian Open finalist Collins.

McNally’s Long-Awaited Return Home

Local favorite Caty McNally returns to her home tournament for the first time since 2022. The 23-year-old spent much of last season recovering from elbow surgery, while her ranking plummeted outside the Top 1,000. Now on the rise again after winning a WTA 125 title in Newport last month, McNally is knocking on the door of a Top 100 return. McNally will have the crowd behind her in the final evening match on Grandstand Court as she faces Australian Maddison Inglis.

Nishikori Returns to Cincinnati After Six-Year Absence

Kei Nishikori is back — both on Tour and in Cincinnati. The 2014 US Open finalist will play his first match since mid-May — and first in Cincy in six years — when he faces Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli to start Friday’s Grandstand slate. Should the 35-year-old Nishikori advance, a meeting with fifth seed Ben Shelton looms in the second round.