The countdown is on to the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam event of the season. The Western & Southern Open continues the Masters series in North America. Cincinnati is one of the most desired venues in the country, and that's why most of the top ladies on the WTA Tour are going to flock to this event in the middle of August.
Western & Southern Open will begin on Monday, August 14, 2017 and continue through the finals on Sunday, August 20, 2017 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, OH. Live matches will be seen throughout the tourney on the Tennis Channel, Watch ESPN and ESPN2.
Opening Women's Western & Southern Open Odds at BookMaker.eu
Simona Halep +800
Karolina Pliskova +800
Garbine Muguruza +900
Johanna Konta +1200
Petra Kvitova +1200
Maria Sharapova +1200
Ekaterina Svitolina +1600
Venus Williams +1600
Caroline Wozniacki +1800
Madison Keys +2000
Angelique Kerber +2200
Coco Vandeweghe +2200
Anett Kontaveit +2200
Jelena Ostapenko +2500
Sloane Stephens +2500
Good luck handicapping this event. The Western & Southern Open, just like virtually every other WTA event that doesn't include Serena Williams, is going to be impossible to try to handicap. There's a reason why, even in a small field like this one, there isn't such a thing as a lady who is lined at less than 8 to 1. Both Simona Halep and defending champ, Karolina Pliskova are the co-favorites at the Western & Southern Open.
Maybe the most notable name at the top of the odds to win the Cincinnati Masters? Maria Sharapova. Sharapova hasn't really had a great go of it since returning from her two-year suspension for doping, but she's still the biggest name in this field. It's almost like watching Tiger Woods try to come back and compete. Both are going to have odds way shorter than they should, but no one wants to be on the wrong side if they can ever really get going again. Sharapova opens up at +1200 even though she's only a Wild Card for this event and will have to get past No. 12 Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round.
Top Women's Matchups for Western & Southern Open
All eyes are going to be glued to Section 1 for the Western & Southern Open. That's where all three of Pliskova, Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki are playing for one spot in the semifinals. Williams will have to go through a couple rounds first before getting to Wozniacki in the third round in what should be one of the better matches of the tournament, and the winner will almost certainly have to face off with Pliskova.
If we have another Pliskova/Wozniacki match in the quarters, look out. These two have already faced off four times this year, and in the process of each collecting two victories over the other, we've had some tremendous tennis.
The woman who gets out of that top section will have her hands full in the semis, too. Svetlana Kuznetsova has to be wonder what she did wrong to have to get stuck in a bracket with Ostapenko, Sharapova and Garbine Muguruza.
Sloane Stephens is just a Wild Card for the Western & Southern Open, but few would bet against her if she met with Angelique Kerber in the third round.
Meanwhile in the bottom bracket, things are looking good for Halep. She'll draw a qualifier in her second round match before taking on a player who is very likely to be unranked in the third round. Johanna Konta could be waiting in the quarterfinals, though if we had to guess, somewhere along the way, the Brit is going to get knocked off, perhaps by Dominika Cibulkova in the third round.
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