One of the most prestigious and established events on the tennis calendar is the Cincinnati Masters, also known as the Western & Southern Open. From August 13-20, both men and women will compete in the combined event at the Lindner Family Tennis Center for trophies, prize money and points.
The women's event is in the WTA 1000 tier, while the men's event is part of the ATP Masters 1000 series. The Western & Southern Open continues to attract top athletes each year because it is one of the biggest US Open warm-up tournaments.
The 2022 Cincinnati men’s singles champion was Borna Ćorić from Croatia, while Caroline Garcia from France won the women’s title. In doubles, Joe Salisbury from the UK and Rajeev Ram from the US won the men’s event, while Lyudmyla Kichenok from Ukraine and Jeļena Ostapenko from Latvia won the women’s event.
Oldest American Tennis Tournament
The US Open, which has been held since 1881, is the oldest American tennis tournament.
The US Open Tournament was first held in August 1881 on grass courts at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island, which now houses the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Only clubs that were United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) members were allowed to participate that year. This tournament saw Richard Sears' win seven straight men’s singles titles.
Since 1978, the US Open has been held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City.
Second Oldest American Tennis Tournament
After the US Open, the Cincinnati Open, is the second oldest American tennis event. It was first held in 1899 before getting a new name in 1901 as the “Tri-State Tennis Tournament.” Later, it adopted the name "ATP Championships" and was held in a number of locations, including the Avondale Athletic Club at Xavier University.
The tournament took place at the Cincinnati Tennis Club from 1903 until 1972, after which it was moved to the Cincinnati Convention Center in 1974. It gained momentum once it moved to the Coney Island amusement park in 1975. Up until 1979, the event was primarily played on clay courts.
From 1981 to 1989, the competition was a key stop on the men's Grand Prix Tennis Tour and a part of the Grand Prix Super Series.
FAQs
A. The US Open, which started in 1881, holds the title of the oldest American tennis tournament.
A. After the US Open, the Cincinnati Open (now Western & Southern Open) is the second oldest, having started in 1899.
A. In 2011, the Cincinnati Open changed its name to the Western & Southern Open, though sponsors had held the naming rights since 2002.
A. The Cincinnati Masters moved locations multiple times, from Xavier University to Coney Island amusement park, contributing to their rich history.
A. The Western & Southern Financial Group has sponsored the event since 2002.
