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 Sunday, August 16.
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.
Michael Zheng vs. Ugo Humbert
Humbert is one of the best players in the world when playing in certain venues, but he has always had his struggles outdoors. The slight change in unpredictability with conditions brings out the worst in him, and that should give Zheng an opening to pull off an upset here.
Humbert has always struggled in Cincinnati, and it’s hard to see that changing with him coming into this match out of form. Meanwhile, Zheng is the type of baseline grinder that will demand a quality performance from him, making it even more unlikely the Frenchman will find a way to play his best tennis. Zheng just has to be ready to serve a little better than usual here, but he’s at least going up against a relatively weak returner.
Zheng should also have the crowd in his corner in this one, so that should give him a nice little boost in moments in which he needs a little something.
Bet: Zheng ML (+100 – 1.5 units)
Sloane Stephens vs. Anastasia Potapova
Since the start of Roland Garros qualifying, Stephens is quietly 7-4 in the 11 matches she has played. The American has been extremely up and down since trying to return to the WTA Tour, and you never quite know what you’re getting out of her. However, Stephens can be one of the sport’s most relentless baseline defenders, and her counter-punching is a major strength when she’s playing even remotely well. Right now, it certain seems like she is, so I like her to give Potapova some trouble.
Potapova is a bit more aggressive than her opponent in this one, and there’s a chance she sprays some errors throughout the course of this match. If that’s the case, Stephens is going to have opportunities to win.
Like Zheng, we just need to see Stephens turn in a decent performance as a server. But this is another match in which the crowd should help a bit.
Bet: Stephens +1.5 Sets (-140 – 1.5 units) & Stephens ML (+180 – 0.5 units)
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.
