How the Cincinnati Open 2026 Schedule Works: Dates, Draw Format and US Open Stakes
The Cincinnati Open is one of tennis’s most important stops before the US Open. Played on outdoor hard courts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, it brings together ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 fields in the same tournament window.
The 2026 edition runs from August 13 to August 23, with qualifying held before the main draw. The event’s schedule is longer than the traditional one-week format because both singles draws now contain 96 players.
Why the schedule stretches across nearly two weeks
The 96-player format gives the top 32 seeds a first-round bye. That means seeded players begin in the second round, while the rest of the field starts earlier. The larger draw allows more competitors to enter a major tournament, but it also creates a denser middle section of the schedule.
The WTA singles rounds are arranged as follows:
| Round | Dates |
|---|---|
| First round | August 13–14 |
| Second round | August 15–16 |
| Third round | August 17–18 |
| Round of 16 | August 19 |
| Quarterfinals | August 20–21 |
| Semifinals | August 22 |
| Final | August 23 |
Doubles runs on a slightly different timetable. Its first round begins August 16, the semifinals are scheduled for August 21, and the doubles final takes place August 22.
The final weekend has a packed order of play
Saturday is semifinal day. The tournament’s official schedule lists daytime action from 11 a.m. and an evening session beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. The women’s doubles final is also scheduled for Saturday morning, creating one of the busiest days of the event.
Sunday is reserved for the championship matches. The doubles final is scheduled for 2 p.m., the ATP singles final is not before 4:30 p.m., and the WTA singles final is not before 7 p.m. Match times can change because tennis schedules depend on the length of earlier contests and weather interruptions.
The names shaping the women’s draw
Aryna Sabalenka entered as the top seed, with Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff leading the other sections. Iga Świątek, the 2025 champion, and former winners Madison Keys and Karolina Plíšková were also included in the field, giving the tournament several players with proven Cincinnati records.
The singles champion earns 1,000 ranking points and more than $1 million in prize money. Those rewards matter, but the larger value comes from repeated matches against elite hard-court opponents.
A useful test before New York
Cincinnati follows another major North American hard-court event and arrives shortly before the US Open. Players must manage travel, recovery and fast conditions while facing opponents who may use different styles from one round to the next.
A deep run can sharpen serve patterns, return positioning and decision-making under pressure. It cannot guarantee success in New York, but it offers one of the best competitive indicators available before the final Grand Slam of the season.