Cincinnati predictions, August 15, 2026: Lehecka vs. Berrettini, Hurkacz vs. Paul

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Jiri Lehecka against Matteo Berrettini on hard. Jiri Lehecka is 6-4 across recent matches. Matteo Berrettini has dropped 2 straight and sits at 6-4 over the last ten.

Neither the serve numbers nor the ratings separate these two by much, which is why our number stays close to even. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Lehecka fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Hubert Hurkacz and Tommy Paul meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Tommy Paul is 6-4 across recent matches. Hubert Hurkacz comes in at 6 wins from the last ten.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Hurkacz comes in off a compressed schedule. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Paul is exactly that — a lean.

Denis Shapovalov and Rafael Jodar meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Rafael Jodar is 8-2 across recent matches. Denis Shapovalov is 6-4 across recent matches.

Rafael Jodar simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Jodar.

Novak Djokovic and Thiago Agustin Tirante meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Novak Djokovic has won 7 of the last 10. Thiago Agustin Tirante has won 7 of the last 10.

Novak Djokovic is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Djokovic around 77%. If Djokovic plays anywhere close to a normal level, this ends in relatively comfortable fashion.

Terence Atmane and Tomas Martin Etcheverry meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Terence Atmane comes in at 4 wins from the last ten. Tomas Martin Etcheverry limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 2 wins in 10.

On paper it's close: comparable ratings, comparable serve numbers, small margins everywhere. Little separates them; Atmane gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Alexander Blockx and Mariano Navone meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Alexander Blockx limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 5 wins in 10. Mariano Navone comes in at 5 wins from the last ten.

The serve is where this match separates: Blockx has been winning 74.2% of first-serve points to Navone's 62.4%, and on hard that gap compounds fast. Little separates them; Blockx gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Flavio Cobolli against Miomir Kecmanovic on hard. Flavio Cobolli limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 5 wins in 10. Miomir Kecmanovic has won 5 of the last 10.

Flavio Cobolli is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Cobolli around 58%. Little separates them; Cobolli gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Alex De Minaur and Quentin Halys meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Alex De Minaur comes in at 6 wins from the last ten. Quentin Halys has won 6 in a row and 8 of the last 10 overall.

Alex De Minaur is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Minaur around 67%. Halys comes in off a compressed schedule. Minaur should have enough here, though Halys has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Jakub Mensik against Mattia Bellucci on hard. Jakub Mensik has won 5 of the last 10. Mattia Bellucci limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10.

Mensik's 76.6% behind the first serve (against 71.7% for Bellucci) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. The edge belongs to Mensik — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Saturday, when Nikola Bartunkova goes up against Sorana Cirstea in the Cincinnati round of 64. Sorana Cirstea has dropped 2 straight and sits at 6-4 over the last ten. Nikola Bartunkova is 6-4 across recent matches.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Bartunkova comes in off a compressed schedule. The edge belongs to Cirstea — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

Anna Kalinskaya and Caty Mcnally meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Anna Kalinskaya is 6-4 across recent matches. Caty Mcnally is 6-4 across recent matches.

The serve is where this match separates: Kalinskaya has been winning 63.4% of first-serve points to Mcnally's 60.3%, and on hard that gap compounds fast. Kalinskaya should have enough here, though Mcnally has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Saturday, when Amanda Anisimova goes up against Zeynep Sonmez in the Cincinnati round of 64. Amanda Anisimova comes in at 6 wins from the last ten. Zeynep Sonmez is 5-5 across recent matches.

Amanda Anisimova simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. If Anisimova plays anywhere close to a normal level, this ends in relatively comfortable fashion.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Saturday, when Jelena Ostapenko goes up against Magdalena Frech in the Cincinnati round of 64. Jelena Ostapenko comes in at 8 wins from the last ten. Magdalena Frech comes in at 4 wins from the last ten.

Neither the serve numbers nor the ratings separate these two by much, which is why our number stays close to even. Little separates them; Ostapenko gets the nod on the finest of margins.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Saturday, when Martin Landaluce goes up against Matteo Arnaldi in the Cincinnati round of 64. Matteo Arnaldi has won 6 of the last 10. Martin Landaluce comes in at 3 wins from the last ten.

On paper it's close: comparable ratings, comparable serve numbers, small margins everywhere. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Arnaldi fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Katie Boulter and Linda Noskova meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Linda Noskova comes in at 8 wins from the last ten. Katie Boulter limps in on a 5-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10.

Linda Noskova is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Noskova around 74%. If Noskova plays anywhere close to a normal level, this ends in relatively comfortable fashion.

Anhelina Kalinina and Emma Navarro meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Anhelina Kalinina comes in at 4 wins from the last ten. Emma Navarro has dropped 2 straight and sits at 5-5 over the last ten.

On paper it's close: comparable ratings, comparable serve numbers, small margins everywhere. Little separates them; Kalinina gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Arthur Fery and James Duckworth meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Arthur Fery is 7-3 across recent matches. James Duckworth has won 5 of the last 10.

The underlying stats are tight across the board — this is a matchup decided by a handful of points. Duckworth comes in off a compressed schedule. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Fery fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Saturday's Cincinnati first round pits Aleksandar Kovacevic against Karen Khachanov on hard. Karen Khachanov is searching for form, having lost 3 in a row (5 of the last 10). Aleksandar Kovacevic has dropped 7 straight and sits at 3-7 over the last ten.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Khachanov should have enough here, though Kovacevic has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Luciano Darderi against Rinky Hijikata on hard. Luciano Darderi is 7-3 across recent matches. Rinky Hijikata has dropped 4 straight and sits at 4-6 over the last ten.

The underlying stats are tight across the board — this is a matchup decided by a handful of points. Darderi should have enough here, though Hijikata has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Cristina Bucsa against Maja Chwalinska on hard. Cristina Bucsa is 2-8 across recent matches. Maja Chwalinska limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 7 wins in 10.

Cristina Bucsa simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Bucsa is exactly that — a lean.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Jessica Pegula against Simona Waltert on hard. Jessica Pegula is 7-3 across recent matches. Simona Waltert has won 5 of the last 10.

Hold strength tells the story — 63.7% versus 60.4% on first-serve points in Pegula's favor. Anything other than a Pegula win would rank among the bigger surprises of the week.

Eva Lys and Sofia Kenin meet in the first round at Cincinnati on Saturday. Eva Lys is searching for form, having lost 3 in a row (4 of the last 10). Sofia Kenin limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 3 wins in 10.

Eva Lys is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Lys around 55%. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Lys is exactly that — a lean.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Kamilla Rakhimova against Maria Sakkari on hard. Maria Sakkari is 5-5 across recent matches. Kamilla Rakhimova is 5-5 across recent matches.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Sakkari should have enough here, though Rakhimova has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Diane Parry against Elise Mertens on hard. Elise Mertens is 6-4 across recent matches. Diane Parry has won 5 of the last 10.

Elise Mertens simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. Mertens should have enough here, though Parry has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Saturday, when Alexandra Eala goes up against Elena Gabriela Ruse in the Cincinnati round of 64. Alexandra Eala is 8-2 across recent matches. Elena Gabriela Ruse has won 5 of the last 10.

Alexandra Eala simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. Anything other than a Eala win would rank among the bigger surprises of the week.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Alejandro Tabilo against Jan Lennard Struff on hard. Alejandro Tabilo has dropped 2 straight and sits at 4-6 over the last ten. Jan Lennard Struff has won 6 of the last 10.

Alejandro Tabilo is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Tabilo around 64%. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Tabilo.

Saturday's Cincinnati round of 64 pits Daniel Vallejo against Valentin Vacherot on hard. Valentin Vacherot has dropped 3 straight and sits at 5-5 over the last ten. Daniel Vallejo limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10.

The serve is where this match separates: Vacherot has been winning 71.9% of first-serve points to Vallejo's 64.9%, and on hard that gap compounds fast. Vallejo comes in off a compressed schedule. Vallejo needs several things to break right at once; the percentages say they usually don't.

Diana Shnaider and Tatjana Maria meet in the round of 64 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Diana Shnaider comes in at 6 wins from the last ten. Tatjana Maria comes in at 7 wins from the last ten.

Diana Shnaider simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. Maria needs several things to break right at once; the percentages say they usually don't.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Saturday, when Kayla Day goes up against Shuai Zhang in the Cincinnati first round. Shuai Zhang comes in at 4 wins from the last ten. Kayla Day has won 3 of the last 10.

Shuai Zhang simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. Zhang should have enough here, though Day has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.