The Western and Southern Open has released its player field for 2020. What does it mean for the US Open? The player field at the Western and Southern Open (to be held in New York: main draw begins on Saturday, August 23) is set. And a few big names have been left off the list on the WTA side.

Tennis Express

Only five of the WTA’s Top 10 players have committed to play the event, which means that we’ll be waiting expectantly to see which names are not on the US Open player entry list when it is released next Monday.

For now we know that World No.1 Ash Barty and World No.2 Simona Halep, along with Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka and Elina Svitolina, will not be playing Cincinnati.


Of course, missing Cincinnati does not preclude a player from playing the US Open (which begins the following week, on August 31) but one would think that a player motivated to play in New York would want to get to Cincinnati to pick up some extra matches after a long layoff.

Andreescu, who is the defending US Open champion, has still not played since injuring her knee at the WTA Finals Shenzhen last year. Osaka is believed to be in good health, and staying in the United States, so her absence from the Cincinnati entry list comes as a bit of a surprise.

Halep, Barty and Svitolina have all indicated that they are not too excited about coming to the New York. It wouldn’t be surprising if all three elect to pass on the US Open.

On the men’s side a few notable names were left off the list as well: Gael Monfils, Stan Wawrinka, Fabio Fognini and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The US Open player entry deadline lands on Monday August 3. Stay tuned for more info.

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