In two years, Quentin Halys went from 125th in the world to 54th, and is still in contention for the main draw despite his live ranking dropping back to 59th.
Soonwoo Kwon was ranked 582nd twelve months ago; he is now 153rd after winning three Challenger circuit titles on hard courts in 2026.
Quentin Halys has played at Cincinnati Open only once: in 2016, he lost in the first round of qualifying to Adrian Mannarino, ten years before this new return.
The three titles won by Soonwoo Kwon in 2026 were all on hard courts, while his only main-draw victory this season also came on that same surface.
Quentin Halys, the No. 2 seed, enters this first round of Cincinnati Open qualifying with five consecutive wins and an 8-2 record in his last ten matches. A victory would help him consolidate his climb back toward the main draw and his live ranking, currently 59th.
Soonwoo Kwon arrives with seven wins in his last ten matches, but is coming off a loss at Lexington Open after a 180-minute marathon. The South Korean has more recent experience on hard courts, while Halys just won the Generali Open on clay. The head-to-head is blank.
Halys's serve will be an important indicator: he hit 16 aces in his recent final. Kwon will need to extend rallies and use his return solidity to prevent the Frenchman from dictating the pace.
Top 5 Monday 21 
