Heading to the courts Wednesday? Here are four matches to check out at the Western & Southern Open.
WTA MATCHES TO WATCH
[4] GARBINE MUGURUZA (SPAIN) VS. COCO VANDEWEGHE (USA)
Fourth seed Garbine Muguruza and Coco Vandeweghe are meeting for the first time since 2014 with the American winning both meetings on grass that season. Muguruza, the 22-year-old Spaniard, has enjoyed a breakout season by winning her first Grand Slam title at the French Open and reached the third round of the Olympics last week. Vandeweghe excelled on the grass courts this season, winning ’s-Hertogenbosch and making the fourth round at Wimbledon.
[17] ELINA SVITOLINA (UKRAINE) VS. DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUSTRALIA)
No. 17-seeded Elina Svitolina and qualifier Daria Gavrilova are facing off on hard court for the first time this season after Gavrilova earned a straight-set victory on clay at Madrid earlier this year. Svitolina, the 21-year-old from the Ukraine, won the title at Kuala Lumpur this year and has four career titles. She enters the week ranked 19th. Gavrilova played through qualifying this weekend and is coming off a 7-5, 6-3 win over France’s Caroline Garcia of France.
ATP MATCHES TO WATCH
[4] MILOS RAONIC (CANADA) VS. JOHN ISNER (USA)
Get ready for a battle of big serves in this one. Milos Raonic at 6-foot-5 and John Isner at 6-foot-10 bring power ground and service games into this matchup, a series Isner leads 3-0. Five of the seven sets they have played against each other has ended in a tiebreaker. Raonic, currently ranked sixth in the world, has enjoyed a breakthrough season that has included an appearance at the Wimbledon finals and a title in Brisbane. Ranked No. 22, Isner is currently the highest ranked American and was a finalist here in 2013.
[3] RAFAEL NADAL (SPAIN) VS. PABLO CUEVAS (URUGUAY)
During a pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday, Rafael Nadal admitted he’s feeling the the physical effects of reaching the singles semifinal and clinching doubles gold in Rio. He won’t have time to ease his way into the draw here in Cincinnati when he faces world No. 19 Pablo Cuevas on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Uruguayan defeated Nadal earlier this year in a tough three-setter at the Rio Open. Nadal is playing only his second tournament since taking over two months off for the left wrist injury that forced his withdrawal from Roland Garros in June.