WESTERN AND SOUTHERN OPEN UNDERWAY; VENUS WILLIAMS AND MARIA SHARAPOVA WITHDRAW
Cincinnati, OH - Many of the top level ATP and WTA tennis players have descended upon Cincinnati, OH this week for two reasons: one, because it's mandatory to do so and, two, in order to take advantage of the final opportunity to work out the kinks in their hard court games before the year's final Slam, the U.S. Open.
The Western and Southern Open officially kicked off at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Cincy on Monday for the main draw, which included the WTA and ATP world No. 1s, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic. Ironically, both superstars are coming off losses from the Rogers Cup last week in Canada, which will make them hungry to reclaim their winning momentum as they prepare for New York.
Serena Williams fell in the semis in Toronto to Swiss teen Belinda Bencic (who went on to win the tournament) and Novak Djokovic was snuffed out by ATP world no. 2, Andy Murray, in the Montreal final. Having received first round byes in Cincinnati, they will both take to Center Court tonight to begin their quest for redemption.
The 1st round of the Cincy Open already produced quite a few upsets, with Jo-Wilifred Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Giles Simon, John Isner, Fabio Fognini, Milos Raonic, Sara Errani, Carla Suarez Navarro, Sabine Lisicki, Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza, Sam Stosur, Timea Bacsinszky, Agnieszka Radwanska all bowing out to lower ranked or seeded players. There seemed to be a general lethargy following the "cream" of the both tours, which is not unusual given this being the back end of a grueling tennis season.
Along with the upsets, two of the sport's marquis players, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova, withdrew from the tournament on Tuesday night, with Williams citing fatigue and Sharapova a right leg injury (she hasn't played since Wimbledon). Venus won her first round match against Zarina Diyas in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4, but simply "couldn't find the energy to compete" as she prepared to face Serbian Ana Ivanovic in her 2nd round match on Tuesday, while Sharapova never took to Center Court. With very little match play, both will rest a few days, then head to New York to squeeze in last minute practice before the U.S. Open begins.
Upsets and withdrawals aside, America is represented well on home soil, with Serena Williams leading the pack and Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, Coco Vanderweghe, Varva Lepchenko rounding it out on the WTA side and Jack Sock, Sam Querrey, Mardy Fish, and J Donaldson on the ATP side.