The 2024 Cincinnati Open will be held Sunday, Aug. 11 through Monday, Aug. 19. The dates shift one day later than past tournaments to accommodate tennis players’ schedules following the Olympic Games in Paris.
The tournament, which was founded in 1899, is planning for the future with $260 million being invested toward on-site improvements. The event is preparing for big changes in 2025 — an expanded player field and increased length of the tournament.
“Returning to Cincinnati Open as the tournament’s name is an opportunity for us to celebrate its rich history at a time when we are also focused on a bold future and taking every possible step to grow and enhance the event,” said Bob Moran, president of Beemok Sports & Entertainment.
“This tournament is known for its unparalleled access to the world’s best tennis players, Midwestern hospitality and passionate and loyal fans. The tournament is distinctive in that regard, and we’re proud to call it the Cincinnati Open,” Moran said.
In the past 55 years, the men’s winners of the Cincinnati tournament have been a who’s who of the sport — from Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, to Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, to the recent dominant triumvirate of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Since the women’s tournament restarted in 2004, winners have included Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and this year, Coco Gauff.
Warren County Commissioner David Young said, “whether we like it or not, the world sees it as the ‘Cincinnati Open” and not the ‘Warren County or Mason Open’.”
Young said the Cincinnati business community played a vital role in keeping the tournament in Warren County and that the county, state and Mason worked together to ensure the funding was obtained for the upcoming upgrades to the tennis facility.
“It’s part of the region and it’s going to be great,” Young said.
When the tournament began in 1899, it was called Cincinnati Open for its first two editions, which were held at the Avondale Athletic Club where Xavier University sits today. Since 2002, the tournament had been called the Western & Southern Open.
Among combined tennis tournaments in the United States, only the U.S. Open is older (founded in 1881). The Cincinnati Open was founded before several other major American sporting events, including the Rose Bowl (1902), Indianapolis 500 (1911), and the Masters (1934).
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Each August, Cincinnati hosts the world’s top men’s and women’s tennis players, with ATP Tour and WTA Tour 1000-level tournaments concurrently — joining Madrid, Miami, Rome and Indian Wells, Calif., as the only cities to hold such events.
More than 194,000 people attended the 2023 tournament, with 13 of 16 sessions selling out. Full Series and multi-day Mini Plan ticket packages for the 2024 tournament will go on sale in February. Already, more than 12,000 people have joined waitlists for those tickets. Single session tickets will be available for purchase in April.
One of the first major renovation projects at the Cincinnati Open will be a total seating transformation of Center Court, which will involve removing and upgrading each of its nearly 12,000 seats. That project, which will be completed by August, will feature top-of-the-line stadium seats in place of all bleachers, padded bottoms throughout the lower bowl, enhanced premium seat options plus armrests, cupholders and extra legroom for all seats.
The Cincinnati Open is also introducing a new premium seating opportunity, the Baseline Premier Box Seats, featuring oversized seats with climate control, cooling technology as well as built-in mini fridges for water and cold towels.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
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