Alcaraz, Gauff Headline Five To Watch Sunday

Cincy action heats up with many stars in action

By Grant Thompson

Five things to watch at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday? The real question might be whether you can keep track of five courts at once. With a star-studded slate ahead, we’ve done our best to narrow it down.

Alcaraz Begins Quest For First Cincy Crown

Of all the success Carlos Alcaraz has enjoyed, a Cincinnati title has eluded him. In 2023, the Spaniard came agonizingly close, holding championship point before Novak Djokovic edged him in a three-set epic, widely considered one of the greatest finals in tournament history. A year later, Alcaraz’s frustration boiled over in an early loss to Gael Monfils, a match that featured an uncharacteristic Alcaraz racquet smash — and a later apology.

Alcaraz, 22, now returns recharged, ready to compete for the first time since falling short in the Wimbledon final. “Obviously, I didn’t want to lose… but I left the court happy,” Alcaraz said in Cincinnati, referring to his Wimbledon defeat to rival Jannik Sinner. “I left the court proud. I left the court smiling. At some point, I had to lose a Grand Slam final.”

The second seed’s first step toward a Cincinnati triumph comes against veteran Damir Dzumhur, the 33-year-old Bosnian whom Alcaraz defeated in four sets at this year’s Roland Garros, where the Spaniard went all the way to claim his fifth major crown.

Gauff Returns To Springboard Site

Fan favorite Coco Gauff holds fond memories in southwest Ohio, having lifted the Rookwood Cup in 2023 to cap a historic run. Then 19 years old, Gauff became the youngest women’s champion in tournament history and three weeks later won the US Open. “It gave me the belief that I could win a Slam,” Gauff said of her Cincinnati crown. “I just felt like that was a great statement tournament and led me to believe that I could beat top players.”

The WTA No. 2 arrives eager for another US hard-court swing, the time of season she says, “Feels like when you’re playing the little race car game and you have that nitro button to push. You just want to give it your all this time of year.”

And for the tennis-fashion enthusiasts, Gauff hinted at unveiling another fresh look, which fans will see for the first time when she faces Xinyu Wang. “I don’t know if anyone has noticed this year, I’ve worn a different outfit for every tournament, that’s something I’m really proud of and I don’t think it’s been done. This week is Miu Miu.”

Shelton Surging

Ben Shelton claimed his biggest career title at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto on Thursday and he has not wasted time since, or hardly had any moment to properly celebrate. The next morning, he was on a flight to Cincinnati. 

“This is one of my favorite tournaments,” Shelton said in his pre-tournament press conference. “It’s always one I want to do really well at, had my first breakout wins here.” That referenced breakthrough came in 2022 when the lefty was competing as a wild card ranked No. 229, yet to officially turn pro. Shelton made the third round, including an upset win against then-Top 5 player Casper Ruud. A week later, the American announced that he was — to nobody’s surprise — turning pro. Now, Shelton is closing fast on a Top 5 debut himself. He’ll look to build upon his Toronto momentum against Camilo Ugo Carabelli.

Must-See Matches Everywhere You Look

If you prefer a clash of styles, start your day at Grandstand to see eighth seed Alex de Minaur, one of the game’s best returners, against one of the biggest servers in 6’11” Reilly Opelka. P&G Center Court action begins with WTA stars seventh seed Jasmine Paolini against Maria Sakkari, who holds a 2-1 head-to-head advantage against the Italian. 

Third seed Alexander Zverev faces a test in 20-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, a Carmel, Indiana native who grew up attending this very tournament. American teenage star Learner Tien will look to use his crafty all-court skills to upset ninth seed Andrey Rublev for the second time in the past month, having defeated him in Washington, D.C.

Also on tap: 11th seed Karolina Muchova faces 2022 champion Caroline Garcia. Daniil Medvedev, who won Cincy in 2019, faces Adam Walton. Elina Svitolina, seeded 10th, meets two-time major champion Barbora Krejcikova.

Stars and Stripes Sunday

Veterans, young stars, locals and more, there is a whole mix of Americans for home fans to support. The singles action alone features 16 Americans, including Cincinnati’s own Caty McNally against 29th seed McCartney Kessler. Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro are all slated to play, as well as 17-year-old rising star Iva Jovic. 

Shelton headlines the American men in action, which also features Ethan Quinn, the 2023 NCAA singles champion, aiming to upset Miami titlist Jakub Mensik. California natives Jenson Brooksby and Brandon Nakashima are among the lengthy list.