Sonmez Stuns Kasatkina as Eala Awaits Her Opener | WTA Cincinnati Open 2026

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Cincinnati Open 2026 Roundup | Day 1

The 2026 Cincinnati Open main draw got underway Thursday, August 13, with the opening women’s singles matches beginning the WTA 1000 event in Ohio.

With the leading seeds receiving first-round byes in the 96-player draw, Day 1 belonged largely to players fighting for a place in the second round. There was already an upset, several convincing victories and some intriguing matchups taking shape for the seeded players waiting to enter the tournament.

Sonmez Sends Kasatkina Out

Zeynep Sonmez delivered one of the biggest results of the opening day by coming from behind to defeat Daria Kasatkina 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3.

Kasatkina controlled the opening set, but Sonmez turned the match around by taking a tight second-set tiebreak before completing the comeback in the deciding set.

Sonmez advances to face No. 9 seed Amanda Anisimova in the second round.

Ruse Sets Up Eala Meeting

Elena-Gabriela Ruse made an emphatic start to her Cincinnati campaign, defeating Magda Linette 6-0, 6-3.

That victory sets up a second-round meeting with Alexandra Eala, who received a first-round bye.

Eala therefore begins her Cincinnati campaign against an opponent who arrives with a competitive match already behind her — and one who dropped only three games in her opening victory.

It shapes up as one of the more interesting second-round matches as Cincinnati’s seeded players begin entering the tournament.

Townsend Battles Through to Face Rybakina

Taylor Townsend had to recover from a set down against Camila Osorio, eventually prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Her reward is a significantly tougher assignment.

Townsend will next face No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina, giving the second seed an opponent who already has three sets of competitive tennis on the Cincinnati courts.

Maria Cruises Past Yastremska

Tatjana Maria produced one of Day 1’s most convincing victories, defeating Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-2.

The German veteran needed only two sets to secure her place in the second round.

Lois Boisson also made a strong start, defeating Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-2.

Those early straight-set victories contrast with the battles faced by Sonmez and Townsend as the first pieces of the Cincinnati draw fell into place.

Korneeva’s Cincinnati Run Ends in Qualifying

Alina Korneeva’s Cincinnati campaign ended before the main draw.

After entering qualifying as the No. 7 seed, Korneeva was unable to play her final qualifying match against Alina Charaeva, who advanced to the main draw by walkover.

It was a disappointing end to Cincinnati for Korneeva following her breakthrough run in Toronto, where she reached the fourth round of a WTA 1000 event for the first time.

Osaka Withdraws From Cincinnati

Naomi Osaka will also be absent from the Cincinnati main draw after withdrawing because of fatigue.

The four-time Grand Slam champion arrived after a demanding North American stretch that included a semifinal appearance in Washington and a quarterfinal run in Toronto.

Her withdrawal ends her Cincinnati campaign before it could begin and gives her additional recovery time ahead of the US Open.

Cincinnati’s Leading Seeds Wait Their Turn

The expanded 96-player draw means most of the tournament’s biggest names did not need to play on opening day.

Aryna Sabalenka leads the field as the No. 1 seed, with Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff completing the top four.

Mirra Andreeva is seeded fifth, while other leading names preparing to enter the tournament include Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova and Leylah Fernandez.

As those players begin their campaigns, the early matches are already determining who will be waiting for them.

Doubles Watch

The women’s doubles main draw did not begin on Day 1.

Cincinnati features a 32-team doubles draw, and doubles results and significant developments will be included in the daily roundups once competition gets underway.

What Comes Next

The first round continues on Friday, August 14, before Cincinnati moves deeper into the second round and more of the seeded players take the court.

Among the upcoming matches already set are Alexandra Eala vs. Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Elena Rybakina vs. Taylor Townsend.

Sabalenka, Pegula, Gauff, Andreeva and many of the other leading contenders are also waiting to begin their Cincinnati campaigns.

Day 1 may only have opened the draw, but Sonmez’s comeback against Kasatkina has already provided the tournament’s first reminder that rankings and reputations guarantee very little once the matches begin.