August 6, 2024 Baseline Social

A Day of Tennis at The Cincy Open

The Cincy Open (formerly the Western & Southern Open) is back again this year providing the midwesterners a chance to see the biggest names in professional tennis. There was a brief time last year that the tournament was going to be moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, until it went back to being the Cincy Open and staying put for another 25 years. The tournament was purchased by Beemok Capital last October, who then set up a bidding war between Charlotte and Mason, Ohio. Fun fact: Beemok Capital was founded by Ben Navarro, father of tennis pro Emma Navarro, who climbed the rankings to a #15 singles ranking earlier this year. Between the city, the county, and the state, the Lindner Family Tennis Center, just across the highway from King’s Island, will get a 130 million dollar facelift. The tournament will also expand from 9 to 12 days in 2025 with the draw size expanding as well from 56 to 96 players. Just a short drive from Indianapolis (just under two hours), this is the perfect chance to go watch some great tennis, even if you just make a day trip out of it.

Our family went last year for the first time and it was such a great experience. We bought tickets the night before we went as a resale ticket on Ticketmaster. The venue is small enough that there are no bad seats, just bring your sunscreen and a Fenix Sportier visor. The hot August sun will heat you up unless you’ve got connections for tickets under the awnings (which is at the ends of the courts) or suite access. Aside from watching Coco and Carlos, one of our favorite parts of the day was the fan experience and walking the grounds. There are games for the kids, an expansive green space with a big screen if you need some shade or a break from sitting in your seats, and excellent local food options from the Queen City itself.

The practice courts are also close by to get up close and personal with the players and their coaches. It was fascinating watching the players and coaches converse, how they practice, and who they’re practicing with. Many times these are locals from the area, if they don’t have a traveling hitting partner. If you time it right, the kids can sometimes get autographs from players as they are walking to and from the practice courts. Pro tip: if the kids want autographs on the oversized tennis balls, get them early and bring your own sharpies. They were all sold out by the time we tried to buy a few, so we settled for Nike tennis hats.

The merchandise shop is a really good size, but let’s be honest, you’ll want to get all your apparel at Baseline Social before you go. You’ll find all the expected brands that a pro shop would typically carry: Nike, Adidas, Lucky in Love, etc. Check out the racquets from Wilson and chat with their reps. Another pro tip: don’t forget a hair tie. I was desperate for one and the only thing I could find or buy was a ridiculous looking tennis scrunchie that was lime green with racquets on it. It served its purpose but was a bit painful to spend $10 on.

If you’re heading to the tournament his year, below are our recommendations of what you’ll want to stay cool and look the part (see also, Snoop Dogg at the Olympic equestrian event).