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 Saturday, August 15.
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.
Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Flavio Cobolli
Cobolli might lead both tours in wins in which his opponent looks to be the sharper side, so I’m always a little scared of fading him. However, this is a match in which the betting splits tell a real story, as Cobolli is seeing significant action and the line isn’t budging. However, unlike in some of the previous situations that resembled this one, it’s pretty explainable. In my Cincinnati tournament preview, I noted that these playing conditions favor players that take the ball early. Well, Kecmanovic loves to play inside the baseline and take time away from his opponents. That could give him a nice edge here.
Cobolli does have two straight wins over Kecmanovic, so that’s something that should be considered. However, both matches were played in slower conditions. They met in Acapulco earlier this year, then they met a little later at Indian Wells. Both of those matches were ones in which Cobolli was able to out-grind him. It’ll be a little harder for the Italian to do that in the day session on Saturday.
Bet: Kecmanovic ML (+117)
Hubert Hurkacz vs. Tommy Paul
Paul hasn’t looked like himself lately. After losing in straight sets to Kamil Majchrzak in his second match in D.C., Paul got absolutely pummeled by Learner Tien in Montreal. Well, it’s now a little hard to imagine Paul getting the better of Hurkacz in Cincinnati. We actually saw Hurkacz beat an in-form Paul at Wimbledon, where the Pole earned a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5, 6-2 victory over the American. Now, with Paul all out of sorts, I like Hurkacz to get him again.
Hurkacz has generally enjoyed playing in Cincinnati, as he’s a massive server and has no issues playing in the heat. That said, at plus-money odds, I’m taking another shot with him.
Bet: Hurkacz ML (+140)
Caty McNally vs. Anna Kalinskaya
Kalinskaya is one of the tougher players in Jessica Pegula’s draw, and I like the American to make a run here. With that in mind, I wouldn’t mind seeing Kalinskaya bounced early, and I do think there’s a chance we’ll see it happen. McNally is coming off an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over McCartney Kessler, and she now comes into this match having won four of her last five matches. One of those victories came against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, and the loss was a three-set defeat at the hands of a red-hot Alexandra Eala.
McNally is just in tremendous form at the moment, and she’ll have the crowd in her corner for this match. That makes her a brutal early draw for Kalinskaya. The style McNally plays is also going to be tough for Kalinskaya to handle, as the American can hit pretty big, she likes to approach the net, and she has a good amount of variety.
Bet: McNally ML (+125)
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.
