The Cincinnati Open will begin welcoming fans Saturday, August 8, several days before the first official matches are played, as one of the biggest tournaments on the North American tennis calendar opens with a full weekend of player practices, fan activities and special events.
The two-day Community Weekend at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, will give fans an early look at players preparing for the ATP and WTA 1000 tournament before qualifying begins Tuesday. The opening weekend is part of the tournament’s continued expansion beyond traditional match days, with organizers placing greater emphasis on player access, practices and activities around the grounds.
For tennis fans, the biggest draw may simply be the chance to watch some of the world’s top players practice from much closer than is normally possible during tournament competition.
Players Take to the Practice Courts
Saturday’s Kids Day will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and include open player practices, tennis drills, autograph sessions, a scavenger hunt, live music and other activities throughout the grounds. Unlike a normal tournament day, when attention is divided between matches taking place across multiple courts, the opening weekend gives spectators an opportunity to follow players through their final training sessions before competition begins.
That could provide an early look at how some of Cincinnati’s leading contenders are adjusting to the hard courts and summer conditions in Ohio. The tournament field includes many of the biggest names in men’s and women’s tennis, along with a sizable Latin American contingent.
Brazil’s João Fonseca and Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo are among the leading Latin American men entered, while Colombia’s Camila Osorio headlines the region’s representation on the women’s side. Practice schedules can change and are normally finalized closer to the sessions, meaning fans hoping to see a particular player will need to monitor tournament updates throughout the weekend.
Red Bull BassLine Makes U.S. Debut
Saturday evening will feature a different version of professional tennis when Red Bull BassLine makes its United States debut on Grandstand Court. The exhibition runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and combines a quick-fire knockout format with music from a live on-court DJ.
Rather than playing traditional full matches, players compete in shorter contests designed to create a faster and more informal atmosphere than a regular ATP or WTA match. The event has previously been staged in Europe and Australia, with Cincinnati becoming its first U.S. location.
It will be separately ticketed from the daytime Community Weekend activities, although a BassLine ticket also provides access to the tournament grounds earlier Saturday.
Cincinnati Open 5K Starts Sunday
Sunday will begin at 8 a.m. with another first for the tournament: the inaugural Cincinnati Open 5K. The run will take participants through the tournament’s 40-acre grounds before finishing with a post-race gathering. After the race, All Access Sunday will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and include additional player practices, meet-and-greets, autograph sessions, live entertainment and a Center Court photo opportunity.
The tournament will also feature adaptive tennis activities during the weekend. Fans who want another day focused primarily on training rather than matches will have one final opportunity Monday, August 10, when the grounds reopen from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for player practices.
Competitive Tennis Begins Tuesday
The atmosphere will change Tuesday morning when qualifying officially begins. Gates are scheduled to open at 9 a.m. on August 11, with the first qualifying matches beginning at 10:30 a.m. The second day of qualifying follows Wednesday before the men’s and women’s main draws begin Thursday, August 13.
The tournament then continues through August 23, when both singles champions are scheduled to be crowned. Cincinnati occupies an important position on the tennis calendar because it is one of the final major tournaments before the US Open in New York. Players use the event not only to compete for significant ATP and WTA ranking points but also to test their games against elite competition under North American hard-court conditions.
That makes the practice sessions and early rounds particularly useful indicators of player form heading toward the year’s final Grand Slam.
Cincinnati Builds on Record 2025 Tournament
The opening weekend follows a record-setting year for the Cincinnati Open. More than 285,000 people attended the tournament in 2025 following a major redevelopment of the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The venue now includes 31 outdoor courts and an expanded campus designed to accommodate the tournament’s larger ATP and WTA fields.
The Cincinnati Open was subsequently named the 1000-level Tournament of the Year by both the ATP and WTA. This year’s tournament extends the experience even further by opening the grounds before qualifying begins, turning what was traditionally preparation time for players into several days of public access.
For fans, it also means the Cincinnati Open effectively begins before the first official point is played. The Tico Times will be there to provide on-site coverage and photography from Mason beginning August 13, following the tournament’s leading storylines and Latin American players as the field moves toward the US Open.
