The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Anticipation mounting for first Western & Southern Open combined event

High school sports results for May 26
5/26/12
Reds' six-game winning streak broken
5/26/12
Annual Warrior Soccer Classic kicks off today
5/26/12
Dragons' rally falls short against Lansing
5/26/12
WSU baseball ousted from tournament
5/26/12
> More sports headlines

By Steven Matthews, Staff Writer 4:38 PM Tuesday, July 12, 2011

MASON — Everything from a new tournament director to a new format to a new-look facility, the Western & Southern Open will have a different feel to it than in past years.

With the tournament — in its 113th year, the longest running professional tennis event still in its original city — less than a month away, anticipation is building for what is billed to be a can’t-miss, nine-day stretch at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.

After two years of playing back-to-back weeks, the men and women events combine for the first time Aug. 13-21.

“The fun thing to see will be how the match-ups play out during the week,” said Vince Cicero, who was named tournament director in May. “There were always great options. Now there’s a deeper set of options on the amount of great tennis you can see.”

It’s been a gradual process that started back in 2004.

Already boasting one of the top men’s events in the world, tournament officials landed the Women’s Open, which became a Tier I in 2009 after five years at the Tier III level.

“That’s the vision of (tournament chairman) Paul Flory,” Cicero said, “and him looking ahead and seeing what this meant down the road. ... It makes for nine great days of tennis. It’s not just a big event for Cincinnati or Mason, or even in Ohio or the Midwest. It’s a major international event that’s in our backyard.”

Last year, the $7 million Paul Flory Player Center was built, and in a couple weeks, the second phase of the three-year, $20-million expansion will be completed.

The second phase includes six new courts, including a 4,000-seat court equipped for television broadcasts, a retail plaza, and an entry way with a champions wall and ticket office. Next year’s $3 million food court is the final step of the project.

“This year, more than any other for the fan coming to the tournament, is going to be the most dramatic,” Cicero said. “Seventy percent of the fans will be coming through the new entrance. They’ll come in and the first thing they’ll see is the new courts. It will feel like a different property.”

Cicero said that it’s a four-minute walk from the new entrance — the northern most point on the grounds — to the south end of the Tennis Center, which is the grandstand court.

Put it all together, and that is why players label this stop on the tour one of the most popular.

“They love it,” said Andrew Krasny, the official voice of the tournament and an emcee for ATP/WTA events. “Cincinnati is what America is all about. It’s in the middle of the country, steeped in tradition, and rich in values and tennis. Fans appreciate the game and understand the game, and they can get so close to the superstars of the game.”

Outside the four Grand Slams, the Western & Southern Open is one of only five tournaments in the world and one of three in the country to host a combined event of this caliber, joining Miami, Indian Wells, Ca., Madrid and Rome.

The tournament will be broadcast in 190 countries, while spectators will travel from 40 different states and 12 different countries, with an expected total crowd of around 200,000.

On the TV side, 62½ hours combined will be devoted on the Tennis Channel, ESPN2 and CBS.

“The fans should be ready to keep one eye on the scoreboard because there will be some good matches going on at the same time,” said Pete Holtermann, who’s been involved in the tournament since 1995, and now owns HolterMedia and works for ESPN.

Ten years ago, the tournament generated $13 million in revenue for the area.

The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s conservative figure for this year is $50 million. That number is based on the county’s growth over the past decade, as well as lodging, ticket prices, restaurants and entertainment.

“It certainly ranks up there as far as status and prestige,” said Jennifer Burns, the WCCVB marketing and PR manager. “It’s one of the top reasons to visit Warren County. Having a professional sporting event in our area is very important to us.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5113 or smatthews@coxohio.com.

By the Numbers

Tournaments in the world where an ATP Masters 1000 men’s event and a Premier 5 event for the WTA occur simultaneously.

Percent that the grounds and facilities have increased at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

Millions of dollars will be spent on the expansion, covering three phases.

Share this article