V. Jimenez Kasintseva takes on M. Sawangkaew at the Cincinnati, contested on hard courts. V. Kasintseva enters ranked #125 while M. Sawangkaew sits at #105, a 20-place gulf that frames the matchup. It is a clash of contrasting recent fortunes, and the hard courts should have plenty to say about which way it turns.

M. Sawangkaew is ranked #105 on the WTA tour with 750 ranking points.

V. Jimenez Kasintseva is ranked #125 on the WTA tour with 616 ranking points.

V. Kasintseva and M. Sawangkaew have no prior tour-level meetings, adding an unknown to the read.

Why this pick