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Players gearing up for first combined Western & Southern Open

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By Steven Matthews, Staff Writer 1:28 PM Tuesday, August 9, 2011

MASON — As a four-time champion of the event, Roger Federer holds the Western & Southern Open near and dear to his heart.

Federer — along with all the top men’s and women’s professional tennis players — will get a first-hand look at how the now-combined tournament has evolved since last year’s event concluded.

“It’s something we’re in some ways excited about,” said Federer, who’s ranked No. 3 in the world and is the two-time defending champ. “The game is growing again.

“I always look forward to playing in Cincinnati,” he continued. “It’s not an easy tournament to win. I kind of struggled with it the first time I went to Cincinnati. It was almost too quick for me. Lately I’ve always played really well in Cincinnati and I hope it’s going to be the same thing this year.”

This year’s Western & Southern Open kicks off on Saturday and wraps up on Sunday, Aug. 21, with the men’s and women’s finals at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.

Each draw will feature 56 players, highlighted by the top 10 players in the ATP and WTA rankings. The purse is $3.2 million for the men and $2 million for the women as the tournament — in its 113th year — hosts its first simultaneous event.

“I’m really pleased for everyone who’s been working here for a long time,” new tournament director Vince Cicero said. “They’ve set the stage for all this. They’re getting to see what their vision was back in ’04 and ’05 — a big combined tournament with all the top players and expand the site. I’m very excited for my colleagues.”

The tournament has announced that next Saturday’s men’s semifinals and both of Sunday’s finals are sold out. There are 16 total sessions, beginning this Saturday with qualifying rounds.

Cicero said there are no significant changes to the field of players, who start arriving in town on Wednesday.

“I think it’s great for our sport when events are combined,” said Maria Sharapova, the 2010 women’s runner-up. “Everybody can see us. From a business perspective, it’s big for us because we’re all in the same stadium playing. For the fans, it’s a real big treat. It really is.”

The expected total crowd is around 200,000, while on the TV side, 62½ hours combined will be devoted on the Tennis Channel, ESPN2 and CBS.

The second phase of the three-year, $20 million expansion to the grounds features six new courts, including a 4,000-seat television court, an entry way with a champions wall and a retail plaza.

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

Western & Southern Open

When: Saturday through Aug. 21

Where: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason

Tickets: (513) 651-0303 or www.cincytennis.com

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