The Western & Southern Open is always good for big upsets and inspired runs through the draw each year. Three players claimed their maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in the past four editions of this event, while others advanced to their first Masters 1000 final and unseeded players enjoyed a moment in the spotlight.

ATPTour.com looks at six surprise runs in the past decade that are among the highlights in Cincinnati. This year, the event will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, with qualifying beginning 20 August, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2017: Grigor Dimitrov
In 2016, Dimitrov shook off an extended slump by reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati. He returned to the scene of the climb 12 months later and raised the stakes by capturing his first Masters 1000 crown. The seventh seed powered through the draw without dropping a set, scoring a 6-3, 7-5 win in the final against Nick Kyrgios.

“I’m just happy. There’s nothing else I can say. I’m just happy and humbled to have that trophy in my hands and especially to win here, my first Masters 1000. It’s just amazing,” Dimitrov said. “I always like this tournament. I have played it quite a few times and always thought this could be one of the first [Masters 1000 titles], and it is the first one.”

The Bulgarian improved to 23-3 on hard courts that year with his triumph in Cincinnati and established himself as one of the best players on the surface. Buoyed by his milestone moment, Dimitrov finished off the year by prevailing at the Nitto ATP Finals (d. Goffin).

2019: Daniil Medvedev
After reaching back-to-back finals in Washington, D.C. and Montreal, Medvedev was among the top contenders to prevail in Cincinnati. Although he had the game to take the title, the Russian had never been part of that conversation before in a Masters 1000 event and it was unclear how he’d handle the extra pressure.

The 23-year-old Russian proved to be unbothered and marched into the semi-finals without dropping a set, then rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win against top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic. Medvedev was the favourite in the final against No. 16 seed David Goffin and he held his nerve, grabbing his first Masters 1000 crown with a tight 7-6(3), 6-4 victory. The added confidence from his milestone moment helped propel Medvedev to his first Grand Slam final the following month at the US Open (l. to Nadal).

“It’s hard to find words,” Medvedev told ESPN’s Brad Gilbert after the match. “It’s the hard work I’ve been putting in. It would not be good to lose three finals in a row, so I’m really happy about this.”

2019: David Goffin
With a career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 7 and four ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals to his name, Goffin showed that he has the game to excel at this level. But after a disappointing 2019 season on hard courts that saw him arrive with a a 6-9 record on the surface, few expected him to go far in Cincinnati.

The Belgian, seeded No. 16, quietly worked his way through the draw and continued to outduel his opponents from the baseline. He benefitted from a walkover quarter-final win against Yoshihito Nishioka before prevailing in a tight 6-3, 6-4 semi-final against Richard Gasquet to mark his first Masters 1000 final. Although he fell to Medvedev in the championship match, Goffin’s inspired run pushed him back inside the Top 15.

2017: Nick Kyrgios
Despite falling to Dimitrov in the championship, Kyrgios enjoyed his own breakthrough that year in Cincinnati. The Aussie reached his maiden Masters 1000 final by weathering a challenging draw and schedule. He pulled double duty on Friday by scoring victories over Ivo Karlovic and top seed Rafael Nadal, then returned 24 hours later to grind out a hard-fought 7-6(3), 7-6(4) semi-final win against David Ferrer.

Kyrgios’ tough road to the final also showcased his stamina and proved the injury woes that plagued him for two months were a thing of the past.

“Where I was three weeks ago, I wasn’t in a good place at all… And now I’m in the final of a Masters 1000. I think that’s a very Nick Kyrgios thing to do,” Kyrgios said.

2016: Marin Cilic
Cilic arrived at 2016 Cincinnati with 14 tour-level titles to his name, including the 2014 US Open, but he had yet to reach a Masters 1000 semi-final after 70 attempts. The No. 12 seed broke that streak with a quarter-final win via retirement after the first set against fellow Croatian Borna Coric, then took out Dimitrov in a semi-final that finished at 1:35 a.m.

Just 15 hours later, Cilic was back on court to face Andy Murray in the final. Shaking off his 2-11 record in their ATPHead2Head series, the Croatian fired winners from all parts of the court to defeat Murray 6-4, 7-5. He became only the fifth player outside the Big Four to lift a Masters 1000 title since 2010.

2010: Mardy Fish
Although Fish was on a confidence high after winning titles the previous month in Newport and Atlanta, he still needed a wild card for direct entry into the main draw. The American, then No. 36 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, made full use of his opportunity.

He scored a pair of Top 10 wins against Fernando Verdasco and Murray, then rallied from 2-5 down in the second set to defeat childhood friend and two-time Cincinnati champion Andy Roddick 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1 for his third Masters 1000 final. Fish pushed Federer to the edge in the championship match, but the Swiss fought back to prevail 6-7(5), 7-6(1), 6-4.

When players arrive to the controlled environment in New York ahead of the Western & Southern Open and the US Open, they immediately take a COVID-19 test before being quarantined in their room to await the results, which typically take around 24 hours.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray is keeping busy during that time, taking questions from fans on Instagram. Murray reveals that he admires both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But if he had to choose one, the Swiss would be his pick.

Find out more about that choice and see some of Murray’s other responses below.

Which ATP player would you like to coach and why?
Roger Federer, because I would learn a lot and it would be interesting to talk tennis with him, watch him train and he would win a lot. ?

Most underrated player on Tour?
Good question… Roberto Bautista Agut has been in the Top 20 for a long time it feels like!

Does your hip set off metal detectors at airports?
Every time ?. Embarrassing when they ask me what it is I’ve got in my pocket.

Favourite shot you’d like to steal from another player?
The John Isner serve and it’s not even close.

Based on your Madrid VR commentary, please say you’ll be in the booth post career.
I have a horrendous voice for TV. ????

Should you brush your teeth before or after breakfast?
After surely, no? Some fruit and drinks taste horrendous after brushing teeth.

Will you ever grow your hair long again? The Muzzafam miss the big hair look?
If I could I would… my hair is finished… hair transplant the next step. ?

Who’s your favourite player in the Top 10 right now and why?
Always loved watching Rafael Nadal, great energy… great attitude… great player. Also Gael Monfils, amazing what he can do and always makes me smile. Nick Kyrgios too when he’s focussed.

The future of Italian tennis was on full display on Tuesday in Todi, as the ATP Challenger Tour continued its return to competition.

Temperature checks and social distancing have become the norm at the 12th edition of the Internazionali di Tennis Citta di Todi, with players embracing the safety measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Between the lines, the action is heating up on the Italian clay and there were certainly no shortage of storylines on Day 2. Teenagers Lorenzo Musetti and Giulio Zeppieri captured all the attention on home soil, with the budding #NextGenATP stars both earning straight-set victories to kick off their campaigns under bright skies.

Musetti opened the night session with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over countryman Francesco Forti, while Zeppieri ousted Argentine veteran Renzo Olivo 6-2, 7-6(4) to conclude Tuesday’s play. The 18-year-old Musetti is looking to build on a steady freshman season in 2019  that saw him reach his first semi-final in Milan and crack the Top 300 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. The 18-year-old Zeppieri is hoping to do the same after reaching a semi-final of his own in nearby Parma, and appearing at the Next Gen ATP Finals as the alternate.

“It’s good to get through this first match after so many months without playing,” said Musetti after Tuesday’s victory. “There was a lot of wind in the beginning of the match, but I think I served quite well. I’m happy to win this in straight sets. For me, doing well here is important because I want to improve my ranking and play Roland Garros qualifying next month.”

The teens have tall tasks ahead of them, if they want to extend their stays in Todi. Musetti is set to face seventh seed Yannick Hanfmann and Zeppieri battles fifth seed Facundo Bagnis on Thursday.

The ATP Challenger Tour’s return to the Umbria region of Italy is a welcome sight for the home contingent, with second seed and former World No. 16 Marco Cecchinato joining his teenage countrymen in the winners’ circle on Tuesday. Cecchinato overcame Andrea Collarini 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 and will next face another Argentine, Juan Pablo Ficovich, on Thursday. Ficovich opened his campaign with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 comeback  victory over Marco Trungelliti.

Top seed Roberto Carballes Baena also secured an opening win on Tuesday, routing Jurij Rodionov 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 13 minutes. The Spaniard’s serve was clicking throughout the encounter, winning 77 per cent of points on his first delivery.

“I’m very happy after more than five months without playing,” said Carballes Baena. “I was solid today and I’m happy for this first win. I’ve been training for a long time and that’s not normal for us without competing in important matches. I’m looking forward to the rest of the week here.”

The only player in the Top 100 in the draw, World No. 99 Carballes Baena will next face countryman Bernabe Zapata Miralles for a spot in the quarter-finals.

If there’s any indication that Ernests Gulbis is ready to return to his Top 10 form, the Latvian’s 2020 results speak for themselves.

Gulbis kicked off his restart with a 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 win over Czech teen Andrew Paulson at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Prague. The former World No. 10 had to wait more than five months to extend his win streak to nine straight, earning a gritty victory on Tuesday.

This week’s Challenger events in Prague and Todi, Italy, mark the return of men’s professional tennis following its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour’s hiatus arrived just as Gulbis was turning the corner in his return to form. He posted a dominant 17-4 record in January and February, including his first title in six years in Pau, France.

Gulbis, who also surged to the third round as a qualifier at the Australian Open, will look to continue carrying the momentum against Aslan Karatsev on Wednesday in Prague. A spot in the quarter-finals is up for grabs at the Challenger 125 event.

Earlier on Day 4 at the I.CLTK Prague Open by Moneta Bank, Karatsev earned his biggest win since 2014 in stunning second seed Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-4. He needed one hour and 29 minutes, saving four of five break points faced.

In other action, 20-year-old Czech and World No. 402 Michael Vrbensky scored the upset of the day in toppling Steven Diez 7-5, 6-3. It was just his sixth victory on the ATP Challenger Tour. He faces Philipp Kohlschreiber in the Round of 16.

Photo Credit: Martin Sidorjak/Prague Open

“I’m very happy that we’re back playing matches again at this level,” said Vrbensky after the match. “I enjoyed it a lot and I’m happy with my performance today. I felt better as the match went on and I think I played very well in the second set. I hope it will continue like this.”

Elias Ymer stopped 12th seed Martin Klizan 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, while Yannick Maden earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Arthur de Greef. And Henri Laaksonen ousted Jan Satral 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in two hours and eight minutes.

Patrick McEnroe has seen it all during his life in tennis, from his career on the ATP Tour to analysing the sport from a commentator’s perspective for more than two decades. Although this week’s return to tennis at the Western & Southern Open is unprecedented after more than five months off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American believes there is one thing fans can be confident in.

“The best players are going to be the best players,” McEnroe told ATPTour.com. “The cream will rise to the top.”

McEnroe believes it was important for players to arrive early at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, where Cincinnati’s ATP Masters 1000 event and the US Open are both being held this year, in order to get as much rhythm as possible.

“Get there as early as you can and obviously the people who play ‘Cincinnati’, you’ve got to think that’s smart. I would get out there and play as many sets as you can,” McEnroe said. “Play as many real practice sets and matches with other players as you can to try to get sharp. I’m sure all these guys have been training and hitting a bunch of balls, but it’s always different when you go out for match play.”

A former No. 3 player in the FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings who also cracked the Top 30 in singles, McEnroe thinks the mental approach players take will also be vital.

“You have to realise that the other players are in the same boat. It’s one thing when you’ve been out for five months with an injury and you come back and the other players are still match-tough and that’s frustrating for a player,” McEnroe said. “But in this case, you’ve got to try to put your own expectations aside and say, ‘I’ve just got to play well enough to try to beat the guy who is in front of you.’”

Although players haven’t been competing since March, when the Tour was suspended ahead of the BNP Paribas Open, McEnroe believes the athletes will come out sharper than some might expect. He doesn’t expect many crazy upsets, especially of the top players.

“People say, ‘Oh, maybe someone’s going to come through and win the US Open. Maybe someone who is like Thiem or Tsitsipas who’s already there. I don’t see someone coming out of nowhere. That just doesn’t happen. I don’t see that happening,” McEnroe said. “That’s not saying it’s a lock that Djokovic is going to win. You can certainly make the argument that he might be more susceptible. But I don’t see someone coming out of nowhere and winning the Open.”

McEnroe says that it is less likely a top player will throw in a clunker at the US Open with its best-of-five set format. They have more time to find their game and recover if struggling early. The ESPN analyst doesn’t see that happening too often at the Western & Southern Open, either.

“It’s more likely you’ll see that in two out of three,” McEnroe said. “But even then, I think these players are so well-conditioned and they’re hitting the ball so well, so I don’t think that’s going to be as big of a factor as people think.

“It’s not like the top players are losing in the second round. I don’t see that happening.”

It’s been more than five months since the ATP Tour was suspended due to COVID-19. With tennis set to resume this week at the Western & Southern Open, ATPTour.com looks back to test your knowledge of the beginning of the season.

The year got off to a riveting start, with events from the inaugural ATP Cup through the Australian Open thrilling fans in January. How much do you remember about the winning moment in Sydney and do you know how many match points Roger Federer saved against Tennys Sandgren in Melbourne? Find out by taking our quiz below!

Click here to stay informed all year with tennis news from the ATP Tour.

Done with the quiz? Scroll back up to the top to see how you did! 

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and defending champion Daniil Medvedev headline the field at the Western & Southern Open as the 2020 ATP Tour season gets back underway following a 175-day suspension due to COVID-19. Normally held in Cincinnati, this year’s tournament will be played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York in the week leading into the US Open. 

Two years ago at the Western & Southern Open, Djokovic became the first player in history to complete the Career Golden Masters, claiming the one title missing from his ATP Masters 1000 collection with victory over Roger Federer in the final. The Serbian has also enjoyed success at Flushing Meadows, winning the US Open title three times.

Medvedev enjoyed a summer to remember in 2019, with four straight finals in North America. Following runner-up finishes in Washington (l. to Kyrgios) and Montreal (l. to Nadal), the Russian celebrated his first Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati. He continued his run by reaching the final at the US Open, where he rallied from two sets down in a memorable final before falling to Rafael Nadal in five sets.

The 2020 Western & Southern Open will also feature Top 10 stars Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini and David Goffin. 

Here’s all you need to know about the Western & Southern Open: what is the schedule, where to watch, who has won, when is the draw and more. 

Established: 1899

Tournament Dates: 22-29 August 2020

Tournament Director: J. Wayne Richmond

Draw Ceremony: Thursday, 20 August

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Schedule (View On Official Website)
* Qualifying: Thursday, 20 August – Friday. 21 August at 11:00am
* Main draw: Saturday, 22 August – Wednesday, 26 August, 11:00am & 5:00pm 
* Semi-finals: Thursday, 27 August, doubles at 12:00pm, singles not before 3:00pm
* Doubles final: Friday, 28 August at 2:00pm
* Singles final: Friday, 28 August not before 4:00pm

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV 
TV Schedule

Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Prize Money: USD $4,222,190 (Total Financial Commitment: USD $4,674,780) 

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Honour Roll (Open Era)
Most Titles, Singles: Roger Federer (7)
Most Titles, Doubles: Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Daniel Nestor (5)
Oldest Champion: Ken Rosewall, 35, in 1970
Youngest Champion: Boris Becker, 17, in 1985
Lowest-Ranked Champion (since 1979): No. 23 Peter Fleming in 1979
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (47)

2019 Finals
Singles: [9] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) d [16] David Goffin (BEL) 76(3) 64   Read & Watch
Doubles: Ivan Dodig (CRO) / Filip Polasek (SVK) d [1] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL) 46 64 10-6  Read More 

Social
Hashtag: #CInCyTENNIS

Facebook: @cincytennis
Twitter: @CincyTennis
Instagram: @cincytennis

Did You Know… The Cincinnati tournament has come a long way from its humble roots, first played at the Avondale Athletic Club more than a century ago, to the grand-scale ATP Masters 1000 event it is today. Past champions include all-time greats like Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic..This will mark the fifth time since the tournament began in 1899 that it will not be held in the Cincinnati area. Indianapolis hosted the event in 1914, 1917 and 1919, and in 1920 the tournament was held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.