By Ricky Dimon
With the U.S. Open seeding set following this week’s action, the Western & Southern Open is every player’s last chance to jostle for seeding position at final Grand Slam of 2018. From No. 1 through No. 32 and slightly beyond, here’s what could happen the rest of the way in Cincinnati (Ricky breaks it down by each seeding group: 1, 2, 3-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-24, and 25-32):
1. Rafael Nadal – Locked into the No. 1 seed.
2. Roger Federer – Locked into the No. 2 seed.
3-4
3. Juan Martin Del Potro – Locked into a 3-4 seed (3 unless Kevin Anderson wins the title).
4. Alexander Zverev – Clinches a top 4 seed unless Anderson reaches the semifinals.
5-8
5. Kevin Anderson – Clinches a top 4 seed with a semifinal unless Marin Cilic wins the title. Has clinched at least a top 8 seed.
6. Marin Cilic – Clinches a top 4 seed with title if Anderson loses before the final. Has clinched at least a top 8 seed.
7. Grigor Dimitrov – Locked into a 5-8 seed.
8. Novak Djokovic – Clinches a top 8 seed unless David Goffin wins the title.
9-12
9. Dominic Thiem – Locked into a 9-12 seed (either No. 9 or No. 10).
10. John Isner – Locked into a 9-12 seed (either No. 10 or No. 11).
11. David Goffin – Clinches a top 8 seed with title or with a final if Djokovic loses before the quarterfinals. Has clinched at least a 9-12 seed.
12. Diego Schwartzman – Clinches a 9-12 seed unless Pablo Carreno Busta reaches the quarterfinals or Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov, or Milos Raonic wins the title.
13-16
13. Pablo Carreno Busta – Clinches a 9-12 seed with a final. Has a chance to clinch a 9-12 seed with a quarterfinal. Has clinched at least a 13-16 seed.
14. Fabio Fognini – Locked into a 13-16 seed.
15. Stefanos Tsitsipas – Clinches a 13-16 seed unless two of the following happen: Chung reaches final, Khachanov/Raonic/Denis Shapovalov/Nick Kyrgios wins title.
16. Kyle Edmund – Clinches a 13-16 seed unless one of the above happens.
17-24
17. Lucas Pouille – Locked into a 17-24 seed.
18. Jack Sock – Locked into a 17-24 seed.
19. Roberto Bautista Agut – Locked into a 17-24 seed.
20. Borna Coric – Locked into a 17-24 seed.
21. Kei Nishikori -Clinches a top 12 seed with title. Clinches a 13-16 seed with a semifinal. Has clinched at least a 17-24 seed.
22. Marco Cecchinato – Clinches a 17-24 seed unless three of the following happen: Chung reaches semifinals, Khachanov reaches semifinals, Raonic reaches semifinals, Shapovalov reaches semifinals, Kyrgios reaches final, or Marton Fucsovics/Leonardo Mayer/Robin Haase win title.
23. Hyeon Chung – Can earn a 13-16 seed with a final. Clinches a 17-24 seed unless two of the above happen.
24. Damir Dzumhur – Clinches a 17-24 seed unless Khachanov reaches the quarterfinals or one of Raonic, Shapovalov, and Kyrgios reaches semifinals, or either Fucsovics or Mayer reaches final.
25-32
25. Richard Gasquet – Locked into a 25-32 seed.
26. Karen Khachanov – Can earn a 9-12 seed with title. Can earn a 13-16 seed with final. Can earn a 17-24 seed with a quarterfinal. Has clinched at least a 25-32 seed.
27. Milos Raonic – Same as Khachanov except must reach semifinals for a 17-24 seed.
28. Denis Shapovalov – Can earn a 13-16 seed with title or final. Can earn a 17-24 seed with a semifinal. Has clinched at least a 25-32 seed.
29. Adrian Mannarino – Locked into a 25-32 seed.
30. Nick Kyrgios – Clinches a 13-16 seed with title. Clinches a 17-24 seed with final. Can earn a 17-24 seed with semifinal. Has clinched at least a 25-32 seed.
31. Fernando Verdasco – Clinches a 25-32 seed unless both of the following happen: Haase reaches final and either Fucsovics or Mayer reaches final.
32. Filip Krajinovic – Clinches a 25-32 seed unless one of the above happens.
Others
Marton Fucsovics – Can earn a 13-16 seed with title. Clinches at least a 17-24 seed with title and can earn a 17-24 seed with a final. Clinches a 25-32 seed with a semifinal.
Leonardo Mayer – Clinches a 17-24 seed with title. Can earn a 17-24 seed with a final. Clinches a 25-32 seed with a semifinal.
Robin Haase – Clinches a 17-24 seed with title. Clinches a 25-32 seed with a semifinal.
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.
Topics: Alexander Zverev, Andy Murray, Atp, Cincinnati, Grand Slam, GRIGOR DIMITROV, John Isner, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic, Ohio, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Tennis News, US Open