August is all about hard-court tennis. The National Bank Open starts the month in Canada, Cincinnati gives players one final major tune-up, and the US Open begins before September arrives.
For Cloudbet bettors, this is the month to watch who is fit, who is finding hard-court rhythm, and who could carry form into New York.
August 2026 tennis events of interest
| Event | Dates | Level | Surface | Location | Why it matters |
| National Bank Open | Aug. 1–13 | ATP/WTA 1000 | Outdoor hard | Montreal / Toronto | First major North American hard-court test |
| Cincinnati Open | Aug. 8–23 | ATP/WTA 1000 | Outdoor hard | Mason, Ohio | Strongest US Open form guide |
| US Open | Aug. 23–Sept. 13 | Grand Slam | Outdoor hard | New York | Final Grand Slam of the season |
1. National Bank Open
| Key detail | Info |
| Dates | Aug. 1–13 |
| Men’s event | Montreal |
| Women’s event | Toronto |
| Level | ATP/WTA 1000 |
| Surface | Outdoor hard |
| Defending champions | Ben Shelton / Victoria Mboko |
| Key note | Mboko has withdrawn from Toronto with a knee injury |
The National Bank Open is the first big August event for tennis bettors. It is also useful because the men and women play in different cities, with the ATP draw in Montreal and the WTA draw in Toronto.
Men’s draw: who to look out for
| Player | Things to know |
| Ben Shelton | Defending champion and dangerous on hard courts |
| Alexander Zverev | One of the highest-ranked players left in the field |
| Felix Auger-Aliassime | Home favorite in Canada |
| Alex de Minaur | Quick, awkward and hard to hit through |
| Taylor Fritz | Big serve and strong hard-court game |
| Daniil Medvedev | Experienced hard-court player |
The men’s draw is missing several major names. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have withdrawn, while Carlos Alcaraz was already absent as he continues his injury recovery. That makes Montreal more open than usual.
For betting, this could make outright prices more interesting. Shelton has the defending champion angle, Zverev brings consistency, and Auger-Aliassime should have strong home support. Fritz and Medvedev are also worth tracking in match markets because both can be difficult to break on hard courts.
Women’s draw: who to look out for
| Player | Why she matters |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Power game suits hard courts |
| Elena Rybakina | Big serve can take over matches quickly |
| Iga Swiatek | Still a major title threat despite a quieter season |
| Jessica Pegula | Proven hard-court consistency |
| Mirra Andreeva | Roland-Garros champion and rising fast |
| Coco Gauff | Athletic returner with strong hard-court pedigree |
| Naomi Osaka | 2025 runner-up in Canada |
The biggest women’s storyline is Mboko’s absence. She won the title last year, but her knee injury removes one of the home favorites from the Toronto field.
That opens the draw up. Sabalenka, Rybakina and Swiatek will attract plenty of attention, but Pegula, Gauff, Andreeva and Osaka all bring interesting betting cases depending on the draw.
2. Cincinnati Open
| Key detail | Info |
| Dates | Aug. 8–23 |
| Main location | Mason, Ohio |
| Level | ATP/WTA 1000 |
| Surface | Outdoor hard |
| Defending champions | Carlos Alcaraz / Iga Swiatek |
Cincinnati is usually the strongest US Open warm-up. The surface, heat and timing make it the best late-August form check before New York.
The 2026 field is also stacked. Cincinnati has announced world No. 1 players Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, defending champions Alcaraz and Swiatek, and previous winners including Zverev, Gauff, Madison Keys and Djokovic.
Men’s players to watch
| Player | Betting note |
| Jannik Sinner | Recent Wimbledon champion and leading hard-court reference point |
| Carlos Alcaraz | Defending champion, but fitness needs checking |
| Novak Djokovic | Schedule management and match sharpness matter |
| Alexander Zverev | Previous Cincinnati champion |
| Ben Shelton | Big-serving American threat |
| Taylor Fritz | Strong hard-court player with home support |
| Holger Rune | Returning after Achilles surgery |
Alcaraz is the interesting one. He is on the Cincinnati entry list, but his wrist injury has already affected his season. If he plays, bettors should watch his serve, backhand and movement before treating him like an automatic favorite.
Sinner is the cleanest form marker if he arrives sharp after skipping Montreal. Djokovic’s level will also be watched closely because Cincinnati may be his main US Open preparation.
Women to watch
| Player | Betting note |
| Iga Swiatek | Defending champion |
| Aryna Sabalenka | World No. 1 power threat |
| Coco Gauff | Previous Cincinnati winner |
| Madison Keys | Former champion and dangerous hitter |
| Jessica Pegula | Reliable hard-court player |
| Mirra Andreeva | One of the season’s form players |
| Elena Rybakina | Australian Open champion with a major serve |
| Linda Noskova | Wimbledon champion trying to transfer grass form |
Cincinnati’s women’s field should give bettors a clearer idea of who is ready for the US Open. Swiatek and Sabalenka will likely be heavily priced, but Gauff, Pegula, Keys, Rybakina and Andreeva could all be live depending on matchups.
3. US Open
| Key detail | Info |
| Dates | Aug. 23–Sept. 13 |
| Fan Week / qualifying | Begins Aug. 23 |
| Main draw | Starts after Fan Week |
| Level | Grand Slam |
| Surface | Outdoor hard |
| Location | New York |
The US Open only begins at the end of August, but it will dominate tennis betting for the second half of the month.
Before the main draw, bettors should watch qualifying, practice reports, injury updates and the draw. That is where early value can appear. A dangerous qualifier can become a tough first-round opponent, while a favorite with a difficult section may suddenly look less appealing in the outright market.
What to track before betting the US Open
| Factor | Why it matters |
| Canada form | Shows who adjusted quickly to hard courts |
| Cincinnati form | Best guide before New York |
| Injury news | Alcaraz, Mboko and other fitness stories affect pricing |
| Draw difficulty | A bad path can hurt even a top seed |
| Match load | Deep runs before New York can create fatigue |
| Serving level | Cheap points matter in best-of-five men’s matches |
| Second-serve pressure | Big factor in WTA match betting |
Players likely to shape the betting market
| Men | Women |
| Jannik Sinner | Aryna Sabalenka |
| Carlos Alcaraz | Iga Swiatek |
| Novak Djokovic | Coco Gauff |
| Alexander Zverev | Jessica Pegula |
| Ben Shelton | Elena Rybakina |
| Taylor Fritz | Mirra Andreeva |
| Daniil Medvedev | Madison Keys |
The US Open is not just about who wins Canada or Cincinnati. It is about who looks ready for two demanding weeks in New York.
A player can lose in Cincinnati and still look like a good US Open bet if they served well, moved cleanly and lost to a bad matchup. Another player can win matches while showing signs of fatigue, injury or weak second-serve numbers.
What to watch before the US Open
Canada and Cincinnati are the two key form checks before New York. Rather than only looking at who wins, bettors should watch who is serving well, moving cleanly, avoiding long matches, and getting through the draw without injury concerns.
Cincinnati is especially useful because it comes so close to the US Open and is played on outdoor hard courts. Strong performances there can quickly affect Grand Slam prices, while early exits are not always a red flag if the player still looks sharp.
By the time the US Open begins, the most useful clues are usually clear: who is fit, who has hard-court rhythm, and who looks ready to handle two demanding weeks in New York.
