Stosur, Kyrgios, Tomic set for Cincy
Top 25 stars Sam Stosur, Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic lead the Aussie charge at this week's Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati, OH, USA, 15 August 2016 | tennis.com.au
Sam Stosur faces a tough draw as she resumes her US Open preparations at this week’s ATP-WTA event in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Stosur, seeded 14th and receiving a first-round bye, will open her campaign against Barbora Strycova, should the Czech get past a qualifier in the opening round.
A likely third-round battle awaits against No.2 seed Angelique Kerber, the player who ended Stosur’s hopes at the same stage of the Olympic Tennis Event in Rio.
Kerber arrives in Cincinnati after claiming the silver medal in the women’s singles.
> view the WTA Cincinnati main draw
Hoping to join Stosur in the main draw is Daria Gavrilova, who is currently battling through qualifying.
Gavrilova began with a 6-0 6-4 win against Mona Barthel and next faces the dangerous Japanese rising star Naomi Osaka for a place in the main event.
In the men’s draw, Nick Kyrgios will attempt to continue his stellar form on US hardcourts.
A recent winner in Atlanta, Kyrgios opens against Frenchman Lucas Pouille, who just a few weeks ago progressed to the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Kyrgios, like Stosur, is seeded 14th, and would face a second-round battle with Borna Coric should he overcome Pouille.
Third seed Rafael Nadal lurks as a projected third-round foe.
Bernard Tomic and John Millman are also in the draw.
> view the ATP Cincinnati main draw
Tomic, at world No.21 one of the highest-ranked unseeded players in the Masters 1000 draw, first plays Portugal’s Joao Sousa.
The winner is likely to come up against 11th seed David Goffin, should the Belgian beat qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Millman came through qualifying, beating Ryan Harrison and Lukas Rosol to secure his place in the main draw.
Millman, who was the best-performed Aussie man in Rio, comes up against fellow qualifier Malek Jaziri for a shot at eighth seed Dominic Thiem.