The Cincinnati Open is gearing up for a landmark 125th edition of its men's tournament, and while Carlos Alcaraz will not be there to defend his title, the field assembled in Mason, Ohio remains absolutely loaded with talent.
Alcaraz claimed his maiden Cincinnati crown in 2025, but a right wrist injury has forced the Spanish star to sit out this year's event. His absence is undeniably a significant loss for fans and organizers alike, yet the remaining lineup more than compensates.
Jannik Sinner enters as the projected top seed, with Alexander Zverev slotted in at number two. Novak Djokovic, seeded fourth, adds a legendary presence to a draw that also features Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, and Taylor Fritz among the top eight. Young guns like Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca, and Learner Tien appear further down the seeding list, making this one of the more generationally diverse Masters 1000 fields in recent memory.
The tournament runs from August 13 through August 23 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center and serves as the final major tune-up before the US Open. As the second hard-court Masters 1000 event of the North American swing, it carries enormous weight in terms of both prestige and preparation.
The total prize fund for 2026 sits at just over 9.4 million dollars, with the champion walking away with a full 1,000 ranking points, a crucial haul heading into Flushing Meadows.
The main draw features 96 players, including 32 seeds, 12 qualifiers, and five wildcard recipients, ensuring plenty of intriguing first-round matchups.
TennisDraw users have already been busy updating their bracket picks after Alcaraz's withdrawal shook up the projected favorites.
