The Cincinnati Open kicked off with a day full of surprises, showcasing upsets and strong performances from American players as they prepare for the US Open.
In a stunning upset, Ashlyn Krueger defeated Donna Vekic, the silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, in a three-set battle. Krueger, who qualified for the main draw by defeating Naomi Osaka, continued her impressive run by overcoming the No. 16 seed from Croatia. Vekic had previously lost to Zheng Qinwen in the women’s gold-medal match in Paris.
Meanwhile, on the men’s side, Brandon Nakashima stunned No. 11 seed Taylor Fritz in a hard-fought three-setter. The American’s victory was followed by another All-American clash, where Ben Shelton edged out Reilly Opelka in a tense match that went down to the wire.
Adding to the impressive American showing, Alex Michelsen and Frances Tiafoe also secured victories, highlighting a strong start for US players in the hard-court tune-up for the US Open.
Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, the bronze medalist in Paris, also advanced, outlasting Nicolas Jarry of Chile in a grueling three-set match. On the women’s side, ninth-seeded Daria Kasatkina and No. 15 Marta Kostyuk were the other seeded winners.
The tournament’s top seeds will make their appearances on Wednesday. Jannik Sinner of Italy will face Alex Michelsen in the afternoon, while Iga Swiatek will take on Varvara Gracheva in a highly anticipated night match. The Cincinnati Open is shaping up to be a thrilling event with plenty of excitement leading up to the US Open.
