US Open Doubles champions Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens will step up their preparations for the 2020 event by teaming up at the Western & Southern Open, which runs from August 21 through 28.

Ranked respective at WTA World No.5 and No.6 in the discipline, the Belarusian-Belgian combination will be seeded No.1 for the event.

READ MORE: From Clijsters to Keys: Champions at the Western & Southern Open

The highest ranked individual in the competition will World No.3 Kristina Mladenovic, with the Frenchwoman set to partner Ajla Tomljanovic, the World No.140.

Home interest in the competition will be headed by Nicole Melichar, who will team up with World No.10 Xu Yifan, and will be seeded No.2, while Bethanie Mattek-Sands will play in combination with Zhang Shuai and will be seeded No.4.

The combination of youngsters Catherine McNally and Coco Gauff is likely to attract a good deal of interest, with the two Americans regular partners on the circuit.

Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin will also make a foray onto the doubles court and will team up with another major Singles winner in the form of Victoria Azarenka.

Additionally, Top 10 players Katerina Siniakova and Gabriela Dabrowski are in the draw, lining up alongside Anna-Lena Friedsam, a runner-up last year with Demi Schuurs, and Alison Riske respectively.

Schuurs, who has lost the last two finals, previously going down in 2018 along with Mertens, is present with Kveta Peschke.

Lucie Hradecka and Andreja Klepac are the two-time defending champions in Cincinnati and are No.8 seeds. Hradecka was also the winner in Prague last week, a tournament in which she played alongside Kristyna Pliskova.

Hayley Carter and Luisa Stefani, recent winners at Lexington, will be hoping to continue their good run, meanwhile.

The other doubles winners since the resumption of the Tour were Arantxa Rus and Tamara Zidansek, who won the comeback tournament in Palermo.

Doubles finalists Raluca Olaru and Monica Niculescu reflect on 2020 Prague Open