Mason and Deerfield Township residents can step inside the $260 million Lindner Family Tennis Center campus on Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9, when the Cincinnati Open hosts its Community Weekend before tournament match play begins Tuesday, August 11.
Grounds passes are required for both days, with gates open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Cincinnati Open's official website. Pricing for Community Weekend grounds passes was not listed on the tournament site at publication; residents should check cincinnatiopen.com for availability.
Kids Day: Saturday, August 8
Saturday is designated Kids Day, featuring interactive on-court experiences, tennis drills, autograph sessions with ATP and WTA pros, a scavenger hunt, face painting, balloon artists, mascots and live music. Families can watch players practice on the venue's 31 courts, including the 11,614-seat Center Court.
Saturday evening brings Red Bull BassLine from 7 to 10 p.m., a quick-fire tennis tournament featuring six players competing to the beat of a live, on-court DJ. A separate ticket is required and doubles as a grounds pass for all of Saturday. Ticket pricing is available at cincinnatiopen.com.
All Access Sunday: August 9
Sunday features expanded autograph sessions and player meet-and-greets, plus an exclusive Center Court photo opportunity. Food options include Graeter's Ice Cream, LaRosa's Pizza and Skyline Chili, along with two bars including the Sonder Brewing Bar.
Runners can kick off Sunday with the inaugural Cincinnati Open 5K, presented by Buckeye Running Company, starting at 8 a.m. Registration is $38 and includes early grounds access, a commemorative T-shirt, finisher's medal, post-race party with live music and a free Playa Bowl, and a grounds pass to All Access Sunday. The men's and women's winners each receive two tickets to the Cincinnati Open finals on Sunday, August 23.
What to know before you go
The tournament is entirely cashless. Parking is free for all attendees. Guests may bring one unopened, see-through plastic water bottle; refill stations are located throughout the campus. Free Wi-Fi is available on the grounds.
The Lindner Family Tennis Center sits at 6100 Legacy Park Way in Mason, off Interstate 71 directly across from Kings Island. The facility has been the tournament's home since 1979 and underwent a $260 million expansion backed by the City of Mason, Warren County, and the State of Ohio, according to a Warren County government newsletter. The campus now includes five permanent stadiums with a combined capacity of 25,000 and a 53,000-square-foot indoor facility.
Crews began transforming the facility in mid-July, according to an Axios report. Cincinnati Tennis COO Jansen Dell told Axios that every room in the new Sporting Club is being converted for tournament use. The six indoor courts will become the Kroger Indoor Fan Zone, featuring player interviews, live entertainment, racquet-stringing demonstrations, a practice court and a gaming lounge.
The Cincinnati Open is the third-largest tennis event in the United States after the U.S. Open and Indian Wells Masters, according to Warren County, and the longest-running tennis event still played in its original city, dating to 1899. More than 1,500 volunteers support the event each year across 30-plus committees.
Coming up
- Saturday, August 8–Sunday, August 9: Community Weekend, Lindner Family Tennis Center, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Sunday, August 9: Cincinnati Open 5K, 8 a.m. ($38 registration at cincinnatiopen.com)
- Monday, August 10: Practice Monday, grounds open 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Tuesday, August 11: Tournament match play begins
