Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will make late summer hardcourt starts next week as the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters gets underway with all major names set to compete.
Along to give his resurfaced right hip a test after seven months of singles inactivity will be two-time champion Andy Murray, with the world number 325 entered on a wild card.
British three-time Grand Slam champion Murray’s most recent singles match was a January first-round Australian Open loss, after which the Scotsman tearfully said his career might be over after playing and losing in severe hip pain.
He then underwent a successful hip surgery that has given his career a second chance at age 32.
Murray, a 2008 and 2011 Cincinnati champion, will open in the first round against France’s Richard Gasquet, whom he leads 8-3 in their personal rivalry, taking their past three meetings dating to 2015 and 2016.
Federer, who turned 38 on Thursday, will need to lift his game immediately as he prepares for the US Open.
Federer has claimed the Cincinnati trophy seven times, most recently in 2015.
Top seed Djokovic and number three Federer will both be playing for the first time since their Wimbledon final, won by the Serb after Federer held two match points.
Nadal takes the second seeding after a standout week in Montreal.
Fourth seed Dominic Thiem will hope to keep lifting his hardcourt form after reaching the Montreal quarter-finals. Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will need to quickly improve after losing early in Canada.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori take the fifth seeding ahead of Montreal quarter-finalist Alexander Zverev and Russian Karen Khachanov.
On the women’s side, Australian Ashleigh Barty, who lost the top ranking with a first-match exit in Toronto, is seeded atop the table followed by double Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka of Japan.
Czech Karolina Pliskova, the 2016 winner, is third ahead of Romania’s Simona Halep and holder Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.
Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singkes winner, hopes to continue her fightback to match fitness, which was on solid display in a victory Friday over Osaka in a rematch of their 2018 US Open final.
The 37-year-old American will begin her campaign against a qualifier.
After losing the Wimbledon final against Halep, Williams is keeping her hopes toned down.
Bertens could play Venus Williams in the second round if the veteran gets past a qualifier in her opening match.
