Overview
- Paolini confirmed on Friday that she will skip the Cincinnati Open, posting on Instagram that the decision was made so she can be “100% ready for the US Open and the rest of the season.”
- She has not played since losing at Wimbledon and had already pulled out of Washington D.C. and Toronto while managing a lingering left-foot injury.
- By missing Cincinnati Paolini will not defend the 650 points she earned as the 2025 finalist and is projected to fall toward her lowest ranking in about two years.
- The withdrawal gives her just over three weeks to recover before the US Open main draw begins on August 30 and leaves her participation there contingent on how her foot heals.
- Paolini’s choice follows a pattern of high-profile absences at Cincinnati this year and caps an uneven 2026 season that included a WTA 500 semi-final and a Wimbledon quarter-final.