Cincinnati Open 2025: Men’s draw analysis ft. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

August 6, 2025

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The main draw of the Cincinnati Open will get underway on Thursday, August 7. Defending champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner will be in the fray, as will be Carlos Alcaraz, the French Open champion.

The draw for the tournament has already been declared. Sinner has gotten a pretty easy draw, but Alcaraz has not been as fortunate. Other contenders, such as Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev, will also fancy their chances of making it deep into the tournament.

Jannik Sinner has a favourable draw.

Sinner will take on qualifier Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round. The 23-year-old Italian will likely face 30th seed Gabriel Diallo, who is a decent player, in the third round.

Sinner will then probably face Tommy Paul, the 13th seed from the United States, which is a bit tricky given the latter's prowess on hard courts. However, the first serious challenge for the world No. 1 might come in the quarterfinals, where he might face eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti.

Sinner will likely face fourth seed Taylor Fritz, yet another American, in the semifinal. Fritz is one of the top players in the world, but one is expected to face such a player in the last four.

Carlos Alcaraz has a trickier draw.

Alcaraz, the second seed, will also get a bye in the first round. In the second round, he might face an enterprising player in Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia. Alcaraz is expected to win the match and might face the big-hitting 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in the third round.

Alcaraz will then probably face the very talented Jakub Mensik in the round of 16. Mensik has won a Masters 1000 tournament already and will be no pushover.

The 22-year-old Spaniard might face sixth-seed Alex de Minaur of Australia, who is always a formidable proposition on any surface. Should the five-time Grand Slam champion manage to pass that many obstacles, he might face either the third-seed Alexander Zverev of Germany or the fifth-seed Ben Shelton of the United States in the semifinal. Needless to say, Zverev or Shelton are a very dangerous opponent.

Thus, Sinner stands a very good chance of defending his title in Cincinnati. The four-time Grand Slam champion is already leading Alcaraz by almost 3000 points in the ATP rankings. He has a great chance of extending his lead at the top of the ladder. However, the likes of Zverev, Shelton and Fritz will also be there with a chance.

About the author

Subhadeep, an adept tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, has been writing about the sport for seven years. He is known for his exclusive match reviews and opinion pieces, utilizing his MBA degree to tackle them effectively with his problem-solving abilities.

Subhadeep lives and breathes tennis. He watches matches regularly and engages in social media platforms to stay on top of the latest happenings. As a writer, he brings the fan's perspective to his pieces, ensuring his readers enjoy an exceptional experience every time.

Growing up, he idolized Boris Becker, but he now firmly believes Novak Djokovic stands alone as the 'Greatest of all Time', especially considering the 24-time Grand Slam champion's incredible stats. One thing that still puzzles Subhadeep, however, is how Becker's Wimbledon tally might have reached five if not for Pete Sampras.

Speaking of the All England Club, the British Major holds a special place in his heart as he admires its blend of tradition and grass-court excellence. When not working for Sportskeeda, Subhadeep delves into the other "love of his life": football, and enjoys contributing his insights to different websites dedicated to the sport.

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