The 2026 tennis season is fully into the North American hard-court swing, and this week brings our final 1000-level tune-up event with the ATP and WTA Tour stops in Cincinnati. With the US Open now on the horizon, this is where contenders continue to separate, dialing in their timing, adjusting to quicker conditions, and building real momentum against elite fields.
This tournament carries significant weight on both tours, giving us a strong read on form, fitness, and potential title paths heading into New York. There’s no shortage of high-level matches to break down, so we’ll have plenty to work with as the week unfolds. That said, I’ll be posting my tennis best bets daily.
With that in mind, keep reading for my tennis best bets for the Cincinnati Open on Monday, August 17.
NOTE: Gill Alexander, host of A Numbers Game, posts a bunch of tennis plays to the VSiN picks page. He does a great job handicapping tennis. That page is also where I post all of my Challenger-level picks + plays for all of the tournaments I’m not writing up daily.
Lois Boisson vs. Diane Parry
There’s a massive disparity between these two in the rankings, as Parry is currently No. 47 in the world. Meanwhile, Boisson is down at No. 155 on the WTA Tour. However, Boisson is much better than the number next to her name. She isn’t too far removed from finishing as a French Open semifinalist, and she’s only outside of the Top 100 because of injuries. Well, that gives us a discounted priced on a talented player.
Parry plays a flat, aggressive game, which is normally good for the courts in Cincinnati. However, with the tournament playing slightly slower, Boisson should be able to impose her physicality and out-grind Parry. The Frenchwoman hits a big, heavy topspin ball, and she hits with depth. She should be able to push Parry around a bit, helping her win the point-construction matchup.
Boisson is also on an absolute tear entering this one. She beat Ashlyn Krueger in straight sets, then she had Belinda Bencic down a set before the Swiss retired. I like the Frenchwoman to keep it up.
Bet: Boisson ML (-111 – 1.5 units)
Alexander Blockx vs. Flavio Cobolli
Jiri Lehecka vs. Arthur Fils
I don’t love much on the Monday Cincinnati card, but I have leans on Blockx and Lehecka. So, instead of playing them separately as moneyline bets, I’m parlaying both to take a set.
With Blockx, I almost think he’s a bigger, stronger version of Miomir Kecmanovic, who took a set off Cobolli last round. Blockx is aggressive, he hits flat, and he takes the ball early. All of that, along with his solid serving and returning, should make him a tough match for Cobolli, who shouldn’t be able to grind out wins against high-level competition much longer. Off the clay, Cobolli is disappointing when facing opponents on his level — or a cut above.
In the other match, I just think we’ll see at least one set in which Lehecka will serve his way on the board. Fils is definitely the better baseliner between these two, but the Czech racks up holds in a hurry. He also does a good job of going for the kill early in rallies. That should favor him in these conditions.
PARLAY: Blockx Alt +1.5 Sets & Lehecka +1.5 Sets (-101)
Added Plays
I usually have A LOT MORE on the Pro Picks page. Those plays count towards my record and have been a big part of my success this season. Make sure you check them out. I’ll probably add a few more over there, so refresh that page throughout the day if you’re looking for action.
