Western & Southern Open predictions, odds and tennis betting tips: Rublev could surprise a few

Where to watch Western & Southern Open

Amazon Prime from 4pm Monday

Best bet

Andrey Rublev to win ATP Western & Southern Open
1pt 22-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Jessica Pegula to win WTA Western & Southern Open
1pt 8-1 BoyleSports

Western & Southern Open previews

As the dust settles on the action in Toronto and Montreal, another combined ATP and WTA 1000 event takes centre stage this week in the form of the Western & Southern Open.

Taking place at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the tournament has attracted some of the biggest names from across the sport with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in the men's draw and Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka involved in the women's competition.

Djokovic has won the Western & Southern Open on two occasions but has not featured at the event since 2020 and was last on court when losing to Alcaraz in this year's Wimbledon final.

Alcaraz has also taken some rest time since his Grand Slam triumph and crashed out in the quarter-finals of the ATP Toronto most recently.

Croatia's Borna Coric won the event last year and, although this year's field is stronger, it could nonetheless pay to back an outsider.

Andrey Rublev has enjoyed a pretty decent 2023, claiming his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Monte Carlo Masters in April, and he took down Roger Federer en route to the competition's quarter-finals in 2019.

Having been given a bye into the second round in Cincinnati, he will face either Emil Ruusuvuori or a qualifier for a spot in the third round and can make the most of a favourable draw.

Top seed and outright favourite Swiatek is the standout player in the women's event having recently won the Poland Open and reached the last four at the WTA Montreal.

But the 22-year-old looks a bit short in the betting while second favourite Sabalenka has made a slow start to the hard-court season, so a more appealing selection could be Jessica Pegula.

After reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, Pegula has been thriving in her favoured hard-court season, making the last four of the Citi Open in Washington as well as the final of the WTA Montreal.

With a home crowd behind her in the USA, she could go the distance.

Elena Rybakina is another hoping for a strong campaign but she could be hindered by fatigue after an intense campaign at the WTA Montreal, which featured a long three-set battle with Daria Kasatkina.

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