The
Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor
hardcourtHardcourt or hard court describes a form of surface or floor on which a sport is played. It may refer to an indoor court made from a wood, or more specifically hardwood such as maple, as in basketball or indoor soccer. Alternatively, it may refer to outdoor materials such as asphalt, shale, or clay...
s
tennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
event held in the Cincinnati suburb of
Mason, OhioMason is an affluent city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, 22 miles away from Cincinnati . As of the 2010 census, Mason's population was 30,712. Mason has experienced fast growth, with its historic Main Street remaining at the center of the community...
, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between
1978 to 1989 it was a major tournament of the men's Grand Prix Tennis Tour and part of the
Grand Prix Championship SeriesThe Championship Series of nine tennis tournaments, formed part of the Grand Prix and World Championship Tennis tours, and were held annually throughout the year in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia...
.
The men's event is one of nine Masters 1000 tournaments on the ATP World Tour. The women's event is a $2 million
Premier 5Premier Tournaments is a category of tennis tournaments in the Women's Tennis Association tour.Premier events include:*Four "Premier Mandatory" events in Indian Wells, Key Biscayne, Madrid, and Beijing with prize money of $4.5 million....
event on the
WTA TourThe Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
and is the only WTA event held in the
American MidwestThe Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. The 2012 event will be held August 11–19. Due to its sponsorship by the
Western & Southern Financial GroupWestern & Southern Financial Group, also commonly referred to as Western & Southern, is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based diversified family of financial services companies with assets owned, managed and under care in excess of $52 billion as of March, 2011...
, the official name of the event is the
Western & Southern Open.
History
The tournament was started in 1899 as the
Cincinnati Open (it would later be known by several other names, including the
Tri-State Tennis Tournament and
ATP Championships), and would eventually grow into the tournament now held in Mason. The original tournament was held at the Avondale Athletic Club, which sat on property that is now Xavier University, and would later be moved to several various locations due to changes in tournament management and surfaces. The first tournament in 1899 was played on
clay courtA clay court is one of the four different types of tennis court. Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone or brick. The red clay is slower than the green, or Har-Tru "American" clay. The French Open uses clay courts, making it unique among the Grand Slam tournaments.Clay courts are more common...
s (described in a newspaper article of the time as "crushed brick dust"), and the event was mostly played on clay until 1979 when it switched permanently to hardcourts.
In 1903, the tournament was moved to the
Cincinnati Tennis ClubThe Cincinnati Tennis Club was founded in 1880 just five years after tennis was introduced in America, and is today one of the oldest active tennis clubs in the United States.-History:...
, where it was primarily held until 1972. In 1974, the tournament was nearly dropped from the tennis calendar but moved at the last moment to the Cincinnati Convention Center, where it was played indoors and, for the first time since 1919, without a women's draw. In 1975, the tournament moved to the
Coney IslandConey Island is a small amusement park and waterpark located in the California neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio and Anderson Township, on the banks of the Ohio River east of Downtown Cincinnati...
amusement park on the
Ohio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, and the tournament began to gain momentum again.
In 1979 the tournament moved to Mason where a permanent stadium was to be built and the surface was changed from Har-Tru clay to hardcourt (DecoTurf II.). Later, two other permanent stadiums were constructed, making the Cincinnati Masters the only tennis tournament outside the four
Grand SlamThe four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
events with three stadium courts – Center Court, Grandstand Court and Court 3. The women's competition was reinstated in 1988 for one year, and then again in 2004 when the organizers, with the help of the Octagon sports agency, bought a tour tournament previously held in
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and moved it to Cincinnati.
Since 1975, the tournament has been guided by Paul M. Flory, current tournament chairman and former executive with the
Procter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
Company. During his tenure, the tournament has enriched its considerable heritage, while donating millions of dollars to charity. Currently, the tournament donates money to
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is a 523-bed pediatric hospital located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is currently ranked the third-best pediatric medical center in the United States by US News and World Report...
and The Charles M. Barrett Cancer Center at University Hospital. Flory has been honored with the ATP's
Arthur AsheArthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
Humanitarian Award and enshrinement in the USTA/Midwest Hall of Fame and the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame. In 2009, he was named one of the Great Living Cincinnatians by the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. Flory began his involvement as a volunteer with the tournament in the late 1960s and has remained a volunteer, having never accepted a salary.
In August, 2008, the men's tournament was sold to the
United States Tennis AssociationThe United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
, the owners of the US Open.
In 2011 the men's and women's tournaments were played at the same time making a joint tournament. As a result the name of the competition changed from the
Western & Southern Financial Group Masters and Women's Open to the
Western & Southern Open.
Wellington Orthopedics, a local sports medicine business, currently sponsors the tournament, and is in charge of any medical problems within the players.
Venue
The tournament is played at the
Lindner Family Tennis CenterThe Lindner Family Tennis Center, in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, is the home for the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters & Women's Open. The tournaments are run by the United States Tennis Association and the Tennis Center is owned by Tennis for Charity, Inc...
, located at 5460 Courseview Drive in Mason, Ohio. It features three tennis stadiums, and is the only venue outside of the Grand Slams with more than two permanent stadiums. Center Court, built in 1981 and expanded over the years, has a capacity of 11,400. Grandstand Court (Stadium 2), built in 1995, has a capacity of 5,000. Court #3 (Stadium 3), built in 1997, has a capacity of 2,000. The venue has a total of 10 courts.
In 2009, the tennis tournament announced the construction of a $10 million upgrade to the facility, including the construction of a 52000 square feet (4,831 m²) West Building to add space for players, media and fans. The new building, which opened in mid-2010, is approximately twice as high as the previous West Building, rising 85 feet (25.9 m) above ground level and 97 feet (29.6 m) above the court level.
In 2010, the tournament announced plans to expand the grounds by more than 40% and add six new courts. One of those courts will seat 4,000 and will serve as the third television court, while another court will have seating for 2,500. A new ticket office, entry plaza, food court and exhibit areas also are included in the plans. Construction started on August 22, 2010 and is expected to be completed by August 13, 2011.
Past champions
Current champions
Men's Singles finals
| Year | |Champion | |Runner-up | |Score |
| 2011 |
 Andy Murray |
 Novak DjokovicNovak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who has been ranked world no. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals since 4 July 2011. He has won four Grand Slam singles titles: the 2008 and 2011 Australian Open, the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2011 US Open...
|
6–4, 3–0, ret. |
Women's Singles finals
| Year | |Champion | |Runner-up | |Score |
| 2011 |
 Maria SharapovaMaria Yuryevna Sharapova ,. is a Russian professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. A US resident since 1994, Sharapova has won 24 WTA singles titles, including three Grand Slam singles titles at the 2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open...
|
Jelena Janković Jelena Janković is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from Serbia. She reached the final of the 2008 US Open and won the 2007 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles title. Janković is ranked world no...
|
4–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–3 |
Men's Doubles champions
| Year | |Champion | |Runner-up | |Score |
| 2011 Bob and Mike Bryan were the defending champions, but lost to Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes in the semifinals.Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes won the title, defeating Michaël Llodra and Nenad Zimonjić 7–6, 7–6 in the final.-Seeds:...
|
 Mahesh BhupathiMahesh Shrinivas Bhupathi is an Indian professional tennis player widely regarded as among the best doubles players in the world with 11 Grand Slam titles to his credit. In 1997, he became the first Indian to win a Grand Slam tournament...
Leander PaesLeander Adrian Paes, pronounced pās, is an Indian professional tennis player who currently features in the doubles events in the ATP tour and the Davis Cup tournament...
|
 Michaël LlodraMichaël Llodra is a French professional tennis player. He is a prolific doubles player with three Grand Slam championships, and has also had success in singles.-Life and career:...
Nenad ZimonjićNenad Zimonjić is a professional Serbian tennis player who is currently ranked World No. 3 in men's doubles. He is the second tennis doubles player from Serbia to hold the World No.1, after Slobodan Živojinović.-Career:...
|
7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–2) |
Women's Doubles champions
| Year | |Champion | |Runner-up | |Score |
| 2011 Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko were the defending champions. Azarenka chose not to participate while Kirilenko played with Nadia Petrova. They were defeated in the quarterfinals by Natalie Grandin and Vladimíra Uhlířová....
|
 Vania KingVania King is a Taiwanese American female tennis player. King won both the 2010 Wimbledon Women's Doubles and 2010 US Open Women's Doubles titles with Kazakh partner Yaroslava Shvedova....
 Yaroslava ShvedovaYaroslava Vyacheslavovna Shvedova is a Kazakhstani professional tennis player of Russian descent. She has achieved a career high ranking of No. 29 as of 21 June 2010. She has won 1 WTA singles title, 3 ITF Women's Circuit singles titles and 3 doubles titles, including the 2010 Wimbledon and US...
|
 Natalie GrandinNatalie Grandin is a professional tennis player from South Africa. Grandin has yet to compete outside of the qualifying rounds of a Grand Slam singles event. She is known for her variety of play, and volleying ability....
 Vladimíra UhlířováVladimíra Uhlířová is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. Uhlířová reached her highest doubles ranking of World number 18 on October 1, 2007. Uhlířová has won 17 ITF doubles titles and 5 WTA doubles titles, but no singles titles of either type.-Doubles: 17 :-External links:...
|
6–4, 3–6, [11–9] |
Records
| Record | Player | Titles/Record |
| Most Men's Singles titles |
George LottGeorge Martin Lott was an American tennis player and tennis coach who was born in Springfield, Illinois, United States. Lott is mostly remembered as being one of the greatest doubles players of all time. He won the U.S. title five times with three different partners: John Hennessey in 1928; John...
, Bobby RiggsRobert Larimore "Bobby" Riggs was a 1930s–40s tennis player who was the World No. 1 or the co-World No. 1 player for three years, first as an amateur in 1941, then as a professional in 1946 and 1947...
, Mats WilanderMats Wilander is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Sweden. From 1982 through 1988, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , and one Grand Slam men's doubles title...
and Roger FedererRoger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
|
4 |
| Most consecutive Men's Singles titles |
Raymond D. Little Raymond Demorest Little was an American tennis player who committed suicide in 1932. He was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 eleven times between 1900 and 1912, his highest ranking coming in 1907 when he was ranked 4th...
, Beals WrightBeals Coleman Wright , was an American male tennis player.Beals was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, the son of Cincinnati Red Stockings great George Wright and nephew of Cincinnati Red Stockings team founder Harry Wright...
, Robert LeRoyRobert LeRoy was a tennis player from New York in the United States, who won two medals at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis...
, and Bobby RiggsRobert Larimore "Bobby" Riggs was a 1930s–40s tennis player who was the World No. 1 or the co-World No. 1 player for three years, first as an amateur in 1941, then as a professional in 1946 and 1947...
|
3 |
| Most Women's Singles titles |
Ruth Sanders Cordes Ruth Sanders Cordes was a top-level American amateur tennis player.Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, she graduated from Hughes Center High School and from the University of Cincinnati in 1912....
and Clara Louise ZinkeClara Louise Zinke was an outstanding tennis player in the early part of the 20th Century.She competed on the national level as a junior and adult. She was a singles finalist in the U.S...
|
5 |
| Most consecutive Women's Singles titles |
Ruth Sanders Cordes Ruth Sanders Cordes was a top-level American amateur tennis player.Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, she graduated from Hughes Center High School and from the University of Cincinnati in 1912....
, May SuttonMay Godfrey Sutton was a tennis champion and the first American to win the singles title at Wimbledon.-Biography:...
, and Clara Louise ZinkeClara Louise Zinke was an outstanding tennis player in the early part of the 20th Century.She competed on the national level as a junior and adult. She was a singles finalist in the U.S...
|
3 |
| Most Men's Doubles titles |
Todd Woodbridge Todd Andrew Woodbridge is an Australian former tennis player. He was born in Sydney and turned professional in 1988. He is best known for his successful Doubles partnerships with Mark Woodforde and later Jonas Björkman...
and Mark WoodfordeMark Woodforde is a former professional tennis player from Australia. He is best known as one half of "The Woodies", a doubles partnership with Todd Woodbridge....
|
4 |
| Most Women's Doubles titles |
Clara Louise Zinke Clara Louise Zinke was an outstanding tennis player in the early part of the 20th Century.She competed on the national level as a junior and adult. She was a singles finalist in the U.S...
|
6 |
| Most consecutive Women's Doubles titles |
Martha Kinsey Martha Kinsey was an important American amateur tennis player in the early part of the 20th century andAt the tennis tournament in Cincinnati, Kinsey, a left-hander, reached nine finals: four doubles finals, three singles finals and two mixed doubles finals...
and Clara Louise ZinkeClara Louise Zinke was an outstanding tennis player in the early part of the 20th Century.She competed on the national level as a junior and adult. She was a singles finalist in the U.S...
|
4 |
| Most Men's Titles |
Raymond D. Little Raymond Demorest Little was an American tennis player who committed suicide in 1932. He was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 eleven times between 1900 and 1912, his highest ranking coming in 1907 when he was ranked 4th...
|
11 |
| Most Women's Titles |
Clara Louise Zinke Clara Louise Zinke was an outstanding tennis player in the early part of the 20th Century.She competed on the national level as a junior and adult. She was a singles finalist in the U.S...
|
12 |
| Most Men's Finals Appearances (all events) |
William Talbert |
14 |
| Most Women's Finals Appearances (all events) |
Clara Louise Zinke Clara Louise Zinke was an outstanding tennis player in the early part of the 20th Century.She competed on the national level as a junior and adult. She was a singles finalist in the U.S...
|
18 |
| No. 1 Seeds Winning Men's Title (seeding began 1927) |
|
38 |
| No. 1 Seeds Winning Women's Title (since 1927) |
|
27 |
| Most Times Seeded No. 1, men (since 1927) |
Roger FedererRoger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
|
6 |
| Most Times Seeded No. 1, women (since 1927) |
Pauline BetzPauline May Betz Addie was an American professional tennis player.She won five Grand Slam singles titles and was the runner-up on three other occasions. Jack Kramer has called her the second best female tennis player he ever saw, behind Helen Wills Moody.-Early life:Betz attended Los Angeles High...
|
4 |
Note
The 1979 men's competition was a non-Grand Prix event not bringing any ATP ranking points although named "ATP Championships", run as a rival event to US Pro Championships in Boston.
External links