FAN-FRIENDLY ACTION ON AND OFF COURT
AT WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN
Tennis Tournament Drew More Than 194,000 Fans in 2018
CINCINNATI (July 31, 2019) – While world class tennis is the focal point of the annual Western & Southern Open each August, there is no shortage of activities for fans to enjoy during their time at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
This year’s tournament runs August 10-18, and while global superstars such as seven-time champion Roger Federer and two-time winner Serena Williams battle on court, fans will find plenty of ways to stay entertained between matches.
“We understand tennis tournaments are somewhat different from a lot of other sporting events because people make the day of it, spending six or eight hours at the site,” said Western & Southern Open Tournament Director Andre Silva. “Our fans move around throughout the day, not only taking in matches and practices at a number of different courts but also enjoying the variety of other activities we offer on the grounds.”
When spending that much time at the event, it’s easy to work up an appetite. The Western & Southern Open hosts 16 eateries, many of which are local Cincinnati favorites, to complement the on-site concession stands with options sure to satisfy a variety of tastes. Those dining locations include Buffalo Wings & Rings, Firehouse Subs, FlipSide, Frutta Bowls, Fusian, Graeter’s, Kala Greek Grill, LaRosa’s Pizzeria, Mazunte, Montgomery Inn, Philly Pretzel Factory, Prime, Revolution Rotisserie, Skyline Chili, Street City Pub and 3-19 Coffee.
Great food is best enjoyed with a beverage, and there are six signature bar areas at the Western & Southern Open for fans to enjoy. Each not only features a unique offering to quench one’s thirst, but also provides a themed area to relax a bit between the match action. This year’s locations to catch up with friends include the Don Julio Tequila Cantina, Michelob Ultra Legends Bar, Kim Crawford Wine Garden, Moet Champagne Bar, Rhinegeist Brew Balcony, White Claw, and Captain Morgan’s Corner.
The Kim Crawford Wine Garden hosts one of the many entertainment options around the grounds with cooking demonstrations at 5 pm Monday-Saturday hosted by local celebrity chefs.
The Dayton International Airport Stage will feature a wide variety of musical acts throughout the tournament to keep fans entertained. Conveniently located in the heart of the food court area, the lineup of bands will cover many genres, including country, folk, jazz, rock and more. The full schedule of musical acts during the tournament can be found here.
While fans move around between the courts, they will find plenty of shops to browse on the courts. At the south end of the Food Court is Midwest Sports, the Official Retail Partner of the Western & Southern Open. This 14,000 square foot store offers a wide selection of W&S Open gear, including official FILA tournament merchandise. In addition, this store offers rackets and apparel so fans can get some of the same equipment they are seeing the pros use on court.
North of the stadium is the 20,000 square foot Retail Plaza where fans can shop for jewelry, sunglasses from partner Wing Eye Care, apparel and more. In addition, fans visiting the plaza will be able to sample fine European cheeses from Cheese of Europe, test drive a Porsche racing simulator, learn about tours to attend other premier tennis events around the world, discover opportunities to play tennis in their local community and much more. Before leaving the Retail Plaza, fans can visit the Western & Southern Financial Group booth for player autograph signings and to register for the chance to get on the court and participate in a pre-match coin toss.
Children visiting the Western & Southern Open will want to check out the Medical Mutual Family Zone. This popular spot just north of the Retail Plaza features mini-tennis courts where kids can channel their best Serena and Roger.
In 2018, the Western & Southern Open attracted more than 194,000 spectators. The reigning singles champions are ATP No. 1 Novak Djokovic and WTA No. 5 Kiki Bertens. In addition to world class tennis, the W&S Open features more than 25 musical acts, 16 food vendors, six signature bar areas and a retail plaza for patrons to enjoy between matches.
The Western & Southern Open, a WTA Premier 5 and ATP Masters 1000 tournament, is part of the US Open Series. Started in 1899, the tournament annually supports a number of Cincinnati area charities.
