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12 Jan-1 Feb

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Djokovic, Serena headline Western & Southern Open

  • Matt Trollope

From Saturday, professional tennis truly kicks into gear with the Western & Southern Open – but not as we know it.

The men are back competing for the first time in five-and-a-half months, with seven of the world's top 10 men headlining a strong 56-player draw.

They reunite with the women, who play the biggest event in the WTA Tour’s resumption so far. 

Yet instead of being staged as usual in Cincinnati, Ohio, the tournament has relocated to Flushing Meadows in New York – the home of the US Open.

In what will serve as a “double header” or “tennis bubble”, the two events will be staged back-to-back at the same venue to mitigate the risks of the coronavirus.

Players have already arrived and begun practising on site, after undergoing two COVID-19 tests to gain access to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

World No.1 and reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic leads the way as the top seed, and after a first-round bye could face emerging 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the third round, and world No.10 David Goffin in the quarters.

Titleholder and world No.5 Daniil Medvedev joins Djokovic in the draw, as do fellow top-10 stars Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini.

Spotlight: Matteo Berrettini

Medvedev heads the second quarter and will open against a qualifier after a first-round bye; the Russian is seeded to meet Djokovic in the semifinals.

The draw has offered up Thiem v Zverev – an AO 2020 semifinal – and Tsitsipas v Berrettini as projected quarterfinals.

The field is further bolstered by the inclusion of wildcard Andy Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion who continues to work his way back after major hip surgery.

Andy Murray arrives for practice at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, which will host this year's edition of the Western & Southern Open. (Getty Images)

Murray plays Frances Tiafoe first up for a shot at Zverev, the fifth seed.

Depth of talent in women’s draw

Only four of the world’s top 10 women will participate, but there will be no shortage of talent dotted throughout the draw.

Karolina Pliskova is the top seed, while AO 2020 winner Sofia Kenin, 23-time major champion Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka round out the top-10 entries.

Pliskova is projected to meet fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals, but all eyes will on Kim Clijsters v Jennifer Brady, a first-round match up in that quarter pitting a major-winning comeback queen in Clijsters against one of the tour’s in-form players in Brady, the recent Lexington champion.

Clijsters is one of several wildcards who add massive star power to the event; others include Grand Slam champions Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens.

Venus opens against Dayana Yastremska and could face fourth seed Osaka in the third round, with the winner of that potentially facing sixth seed Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, in the quarters.

Also in the mix are former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka, defending champion Madison Keys and teen sensation Coco Gauff, who begins against Maria Sakkari and could meet Serena Williams in a blockbuster last 16 match-up.

Following a first-round bye, Serena begins her campaign against either Belgian Alison van Uytvanck or a qualifier in round two.

Keys, seeded seventh, is projected to meet second seed Kenin in the quarters; both Americans have to navigate a quarter of the draw also featuring Azarenka, Stephens, Ons Jabeur and Elena Rybakina.

These loaded fields will force players to hit the ground running as they ramp up their preparations for the US Open, beginning 31 August.

To distinguish the Western & Southern Open from the US Open, tournament organisers have designated Flushing Meadows’ Grandstand court as the Western & Southern Open’s centre court.

The bigger Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums will not host matches until the US Open begins.

Western & Southern Open qualifying action began on Thursday.

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