Cincinnati Masters is one of the few tournaments on the WTA and ATP Tours which takes place every year at the same venue. The Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, hosts the prestigious tournament at ‘The Queen City‘. It always features top players across men’s and women’s doubles and singles events. The winner of the tournament receives a uniquely designed Rookwood Cup. But the Cincinnati Masters will have multiple changes in its 2024 edition. What are those changes?
The tournament has a player-friendly atmosphere, and it engages with the fans excellently throughout the tournament. Players get to enjoy free ice creams along with their families and live performances from local musicians add an extra flavor to one of the oldest tournaments in the United States. But how are the changes going to affect the popularity of the tournament?
Cincinnati Open is up for multiple changes as the Paris Olympics knocks on the door in 2024
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Bob Moran, who was appointed as the President of Beemok Sports and Entertainment earlier this year, shared some of the upcoming changes in the tournament in 2024. Usually, a tennis tournament starts on a Saturday and ends on Sunday. But next year, it’ll be different in Cincinnati.
In 2024, there will be the Summer Olympics in Paris, where top players will represent their countries. So Moran said that the tournament will have to push back for a day in order to manage the schedules. It will start on a Sunday and end on Monday to help the top players adjust their busy schedules and compete in the third-largest tournament in the US.
He also added that the tournament will expand from one week to two weeks from 2025 onwards. The tennis tournament was named after its main sponsor, Western & Southern Tennis. But now, with the main sponsor stepping down, a new name looks to be on the cards. What will be the new name? Well, to this question, Moran replied that the new name hasn’t been decided yet. But he mentioned that it will be announced it soon. Considering its place in tennis heritage, fans will be certainly eager about further developments.
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The rich history of the Cincinnati Masters, the oldest tennis tournament in the United States
Cincinnati Open is a 124-year-old tournament which started on September 18, 1899. The tournament organisers later renamed the annual outdoor hard court tennis tournament to Tri-State Tennis Tournament in 1901 until 1969. It was originally played on clay courts, but later changed to hard courts in 1979. The courts in Cincinnati are now among the best in the tennis circuit, which ensures quicker-paced and thrilling matches for the spectators.
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The tournament has witnessed some greats of the game. Roger Federer & Serena Williams are some of the most prominent names to dominate this tournament over the years. This year, Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff triumphed in men’s and women’s division in the Cincinnati Open. With the possibility of expanding the tournament to a 12-day format with a draw of 96 players, it’d be more exciting in the near future. Share your views on the recent changes in one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world.
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