[GALLERY] Inside the Cincinnati Open: The Stories and Moments From the 2026 Tournament
Photography & reporting by Crystal Li
The opening rounds of the 2026 Cincinnati Open delivered no shortage of storylines, from early upsets and rising young talent to the return of some of tennis’ most decorated favorites. Across the first three rounds, I was on the ground in Cincinnati to capture the action, emotion, and atmosphere of the last lead-up tournament before the US Open.
A Cincinnati return cut short
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Novak Djokovic’s return to Cincinnati ended far earlier than expected. Playing at the tournament for the first time since lifting the trophy in an epic battle against Carlos Alcaraz in 2023, the three-time champion opened strongly against Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante.
After taking the first set 6-2, Djokovic struggled physically under the extreme humid conditions as the match wore on, receiving medical attention during the second set and frequently showing signs of discomfort between points. Tirante took advantage of the shifting momentum, eventually completing the upset 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 to earn the biggest win of his career and bring Djokovic’s Cincinnati comeback to an abrupt end.
Together, Together
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Four years after their last doubles appearance together at, Serena and Venus Williams reunited on the Grandstand court in Cincinnati. The 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions took on Marta Kostyuk and hometown favorite Peyton Stearns in their first match as a team since the 2022 US Open.
After dropping the opening set 6–2, the sisters found their spark and stormed through the second 6–1 to force a tiebreak. They fell behind 6–0 in the decider but mounted one final comeback that ignited the crowd. They closed the gap to 9–8 before Venus double-faulted on match point, giving Kostyuk and Stearns the 6–2, 1–6, [10–8] win. The result may not have gone their way, but the night offered a rare chance for the Queen City to see one of tennis’ most decorated partnerships share the court again.
Eala-Mania Arrives in Cincinnati
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Few players arrived in Cincinnati with momentum quite like Alexandra Eala. Fresh off her first WTA 500 title in Washington D.C., the 21-year-old made her Cincinnati debut as the No. 17 seed, accompanied by the growing wave of Filipino support that follows her across the tour.
Eala opened her campaign with a commanding performance against Elena-Gabriela Ruse, leading 6–1, 3–0 before the match was halted due to a thunderstorm, and Ruse was forced to retire with an ankle injury. Her run ended in the third round after a late-night thriller with American Amanda Anisimova, with Eala taking the opening set before falling 4–6, 6–4, 6–2. Even in defeat, the crowds and Filipino flags surrounding her matches made one thing clear: Eala-mania had made its way to Cincinnati.
A Glimpse at Tennis’ Next Generation
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Cincinnati offered an early look at several of the young prospects hoping to establish themselves among the ATP’s next generation. João Fonseca, Flavio Cobolli, Alexander Blockx and Rafael Jodar each brought a different kind of promise to the opening rounds, from established young stars continuing their rise to newcomers beginning to make their presence felt on the biggest stages.
The quickest-rising Spanish star, Jodar, amid controversies with his shoelaces, produced one of the tournament’s most dramatic early comebacks, rallying from 5–1 down in the deciding set and saving match point to defeat Denis Shapovalov 7–5, 4–6, 7–5. Cobolli and Blockx then met in a third-round battle of their own, with Cobolli also recovering from 5–3 down in the final set to prevail 7–5, 4–6, 7–5. Alongside them, Fonseca made it through the second round, but had to withdraw from the tournament due to injury.
The WTA’s Top Seeds Rolled
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Cincinnati brought together one of the deepest women’s fields of the summer, with many of the WTA’s biggest names beginning their final preparations ahead of the US Open. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka led the field alongside Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, while defending champion Iga Świątek returned looking to build on her title run from the year before.
The opening rounds offered an early glimpse at the contenders hoping to make a deep run in Cincinnati and carry that momentum into New York. For former champions Sabalenka, Gauff and Świątek, it also meant returning to familiar territory, while Rybakina and Pegula entered among the tournament’s highest seeds in a field packed with former Grand Slam champions and established contenders.
The Americans at Home
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The Cincinnati Open offered no shortage of homegrown talent, with a deep group of American men taking the court in front of a home crowd. Ben Shelton arrived in Ohio fresh off a title run in Montreal, while Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Brandon Nakashima and Learner Tien were among a growing contingent of Americans looking to make their mark during the North American hard-court swing.
Their paths produced mixed fortunes in the opening rounds. Shelton’s six-match winning streak came to an unexpected end against Portuguese player Jaime Faria, while Fritz continued steadily into the second week. Tiafoe and Tien met in an all-American third-round battle, with Tiafoe prevailing 6–4, 4–6, 6–4, while Nakashima continued his hot streak from Montreal and Washington, D.C.
Farewells, Fights, and Frustrations
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Beyond the biggest storylines, the opening rounds in Cincinnati delivered plenty of drama. Denis Shapovalov and Adrian Mannarino shared a tense exchange after Mannarino struck the Canadian with the ball at the net, while Daniil Medvedev’s frustration boiled over during his third-round loss to Brandon Nakashima, resulting in heated exchanges with the chair umpire and a code violation.
For others, Cincinnati marked an ending. Gaël Monfils made his 14th and final appearance at the tournament, receiving a standing ovation and an on-court tribute after falling to Rinky Hijikata in three sets. The opening rounds also brought unexpectedly early exits for Wild Cards Jack Draper and former Cincinnati champion Grigor Dimitrov, with Martin Landaluce defeating Draper in straight sets and Sebastián Báez rallying from a set down to knock out Dimitrov.
