WTA Western & Southern Open Odds & Round 1 Picks
- World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is the favorite to win the WTA’s Western & Southern Open
- Both Venus and Serena Williams are in the draw, for the second consecutive week
- Read on as we break down the WTA Western & Southern Open first-round matches, and make a prediction on the tournament winner
The Western & Southern Open is an identical event to last week’s National Bank Open, as the WTA Tour moves to Cincinnati, OH and picks up a few more players.
Last week, the favorites fell. Will this week run more true to form?
Western & Southern Open First-Round Odds
| Matchup | Odds |
|---|---|
| Amanda Anisimova (USA) vs. [9] Daria Kasatkina (RUS) | -122 / +100 |
| [12] Belinda Bencic (SUI) vs. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) | -480 / +350 |
| [13] Leylah Fernandez (CAN) vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) | -137 / +110 |
| Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) vs. [16] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) | +115 / -143 |
| Kaia Kanepi (EST) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) | +143 / -180 |
| [WC] Sofia Kenin (USA) vs. [WC] Shelby Rogers (USA) | +250 / -335 |
| Madison Keys (USA) vs. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) | -167 / +133 |
| Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) vs. Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) | +120 / -150 |
| [WC] Caty McNally (USA) vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) | +210 / -275 |
| [PR] Karolina Muchova (CZE) vs. [15] Simona Halep (ROU) | +320 / -435 |
| Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs Zhang Shuai (CHN) | -286 / +220 |
| Karolina Pliskova (CZE) vs. [WC] Venus Williams (USA) | -670 / +475 |
| Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) vs. Alison Riske-Amritraj (USA) | -105 / -120 |
| [WC] Sloane Stephens (USA) vs. Alizé Cornet (FRA) | +138 /-175 |
| Jil Teichmann (SUI) vs. Petra Kvitova (CZE) | +110 / -136 |
| [WC] Serena Williams (USA) vs. [10] Emma Raducanu (GBR) | +114 / -141 |
Odds as of Aug. 14 at Barstool Sportsbook.
If you are new to betting on this sport, why not take a look at our Tennis Betting Basics page. Regular tennis bettors may be interested in our pre-tournament odds for the 2022 US Open.
Swiatek the Cincy Favorite
Iga Swiatek, as she was in Toronto, is the favorite to win this WTA Masters 1000 tournament. Simona Halep (+750) is next but she’s likely to be done in after her effort to win in Toronto.
Coco Gauff and Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina are right behind them, with Naomi Osaka’s odds of +1600 likely too optimistic.
Best Bet: Iga Swiatek (+325)
Best Longshot: Karolina Pliskova (+2500)
Pliskova vs Venus Williams Pick
The odds have been respectful towards both Williams sisters, who have come back after a year away and … aren’t winning very many matches.
Karolina Pliskova had a good week in Toronto, making the semifinals. And she has a few days to recover. Williams, now 42, has won just one match since the 2021 Australian Open (a first-round win over Mihaela Buzarnescu at Wimbledon a year ago).
She just isn’t serving at the level of her best days. And she isn’t mobile enough to catch up with Pliskova’s power from both the serve and groundstrokes.
They haven’t played since 2017, which was the one impressive year Williams has had in the last decade. But Pliskova routined her 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the WTA Finals that year.
Prediction: Pliskova in Two Sets (-200)
Serena Williams vs Raducanu Pick
In Emma Raducanu’s brief career, she has never faced anything like the phenomenon that is Serena Williams.
Even 2022-vintage Serena would be a daunting opponent for someone with so little experience – and none against the legend.
The 40-year-old Williams may have just two tournaments remaining in her long and illustrious career. And so the spectre of losing to the current golden girl (who is less than half her age) could well spur her on to leave absolutely everything she has on the court.
It’s must-watch tennis. And although perhaps there’s a little sentiment involved, it feels as though it’s lined up for Williams to take it even if little in her recent play wouldn’t indicate she’s up for it.
Prediction: Williams to win outright (+114)
Teichmann vs Kvitova Pick
Teichmann has beaten Kvitova before.
And she’s in a bit better rhythm than Kvitova will be, since the 32-year-old Czech hasn’t played since losing in the third round of Wimbledon to Paula Badosa. That was nearly six weeks ago.
Kvitova had runs to the semis in Cincy in 2018 and all the way back in 2012. But it’s not a tournament she does particularly well at.
Meanwhile, Teichmann is the defending Cincinnati finalist.
Jil the Thrill 🎢#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/tkeDq9yRaw
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 20, 2021
The Czech has a spectacular record against fellow lefties. But she’s only played four matches against them in 2022 and is 2-2, with one loss to Teichmann and the other to Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Teichmann’s career record against lefties is even better: 13-2 at the WTA level.
Prediction: Teichmann in Three Sets (+400)
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Stephanie gets the straight dope from the tennis insiders. On court, she has represented her country internationally. A BA in journalism led to years on the MLB beat and a decade covering tennis globally. She's written for Postmedia, the Guardian, the New York Times and also publishes OpenCourt.ca.
