Cincinnati Open 2026: Katie Boulter & Cam Norrie make winning starts
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Britain’s Katie Boulter and Cam Norrie are set to face Wimbledon finalists in the second round of the Cincinnati Open after coming away with wins on the first day in Ohio.
However, Jack Draper and Jan Choinski were left to rue missed chances in first round defeats in the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Boulter claimed her first victory since the HSBC Championships against American Katie Volynets, fighting through 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 in two hours and 43 minutes.
The Briton came back from 5-3 down to seal the opener, but managed just four points behind serve in a difficult second set.
Volynets rallied back from a break down in the decider, but Boulter found the edge under pressure. At 4-4, she claimed her sixth break of the match and went on to serve it out on her second match point.
Boulter moves on to play sixth seed and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the second round.
It will be the first match Noskova has played since winning the title at SW19 and could be a preview for GB’s Billie Jean King Cup tie with Czechia next month.
Meanwhile, Norrie continued his strong start to the hard court swing with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory against Dominic Prizmic to set up a clash with top seed Alexander Zverev.
After a disappointing start to the match, Norrie raised his level in the second set – losing just three points on serve to level at one apiece.
The British No.1 is coming off the back of a semi-final in Los Cabos and fourth round at the National Bank Open recently, and his confidence showed in a tricky third set.
Norrie saved a break point at 2-1 down and then another three whilst trailing 3-2, before striking the crucial blow. He broke the Croatian’s serve in the following game and went on to close out an impressive comeback with an unreturnable serve on match point.
Norrie has lost all seven of his previous meetings with Zverev – including the Australian Open earlier this year – but the German is coming off the back of a second round exit in Montreal last week.
Former world No.4 Draper continued his return from injury with a first round loss to Spanish youngster Martin Landeluce 6-3, 7-5.
The Brit had a 5-2 lead in the second set, as well as six set points, but couldn’t get over the line to force the match to a deciding third set.
Following his semi-final run at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, Draper is still searching for his first win of the American hard court swing.
World No.70 Choinski came within touching distance of his first ATP Masters 1000 victory but eventually lost to Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante 7-6(11), 6-7(7), 7-6(4).
Choinski held a 4-1 lead in the third set and also found himself 4-1 in front during the deciding tie-break, but Tirante came back to win the final six consecutive points, sealing the win in just under three hours.
