2016 Western & Southern Open – Women's singles

Karolína Plíšková defeated Angelique Kerber in the final, 6–3, 6–1 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2016 Cincinnati Masters. It was her sixth WTA Tour singles title.The two would play each other three weeks later, in the final of the US Open; Kerber would avenge her loss by beating Plíšková in three sets.

Serena Williams was the two-time reigning champion, but withdrew before the tournament due to injury.

Kerber was in contention for the world No. 1 ranking, which she would have attained had she won the title. However, by losing in the final she remained No. 2.

Seeds
All seeds received a bye into the second round. • 🇺🇸 Serena Williams (withdrew)

• 🇩🇪 Angelique Kerber (final)

• 🇷🇴 Simona Halep (semifinals)

• 🇪🇸 Garbiñe Muguruza (semifinals)

• 🇵🇱 Agnieszka Radwańska (quarterfinals)

• 🇮🇹 Roberta Vinci (third round)

• 🇷🇺 Svetlana Kuznetsova (quarterfinals)

• 🇸🇰 Dominika Cibulková (third round)

• 🇪🇸 Carla Suárez Navarro (quarterfinals)

• 🇬🇧 Johanna Konta (third round)

• 🇨🇿 Petra Kvitová (withdrew)

• Timea Bacsinszky (third round)

• Belinda Bencic (second round)

• 🇦🇺 Samantha Stosur (second round)

• 🇨🇿 Karolína Plíšková (champion)

• 🇷🇺 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (third round)

• 🇺🇦 Elina Svitolina (second round)

Seeds
• # 🇯🇵 Misaki Doi (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇨🇦 Eugenie Bouchard (qualified)

• # 🇭🇺 Tímea Babos (qualified)

• # 🇩🇪 Annika Beck (qualified)

• # 🇦🇺 Daria Gavrilova (qualified)

• # 🇰🇿 Yaroslava Shvedova (first round)

• # 🇫🇷 Alizé Cornet (qualified)

• # 🇨🇳 Zhang Shuai (qualified)

• # Anastasija Sevastova (first round)

• # 🇲🇪 Danka Kovinić (first round)

• # 🇺🇸 Varvara Lepchenko (first round)

• # 🇷🇴 Monica Niculescu (first round)

• # 🇧🇪 Kirsten Flipkens (first round)

• # 🇺🇦 Kateryna Bondarenko (qualified)

• # 🇨🇳 Zheng Saisai (qualified)

• # 🇩🇪 Julia Görges (first round)

• # 🇨🇳 Wang Qiang (first round)

• # 🇮🇹 Camila Giorgi (first round)

• # 🇺🇸 Alison Riske (qualified)

• # 🇸🇪 Johanna Larsson (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # Viktorija Golubic (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇹🇷 Çağla Büyükakçay (first round)

• # 🇯🇵 Nao Hibino (first round)

• # 🇧🇬 Tsvetana Pironkova (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

Qualifiers
• # 🇷🇺 Varvara Flink

• # 🇨🇦 Eugenie Bouchard

• # 🇭🇺 Tímea Babos

• # 🇩🇪 Annika Beck

• # 🇦🇺 Daria Gavrilova

• # 🇺🇸 Alison Riske

• # 🇫🇷 Alizé Cornet

• # 🇨🇳 Zhang Shuai

• # 🇨🇳 Zheng Saisai

• # 🇺🇦 Kateryna Bondarenko

• # Donna Vekić

• # 🇯🇵 Kurumi Nara

Lucky losers
• # 🇯🇵 Misaki Doi

• # Viktorija Golubic

• # 🇸🇪 Johanna Larsson

• # 🇧🇬 Tsvetana Pironkova