In Cincinnati, we don’t worry about the dog days of August. Why? Because we have the TENNIS days of August, and around here, the Western & Southern Open is what makes the summer.
Held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, OH, the 2015 Western & Southern Open will be in play from August 15th-23rd. The Open features the best men and women tennis players in the world – all top forty players who are at the top of their game. Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray are this year’s top 3 in the Men’s ATP; Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep are the top three in the Women’s WTA. Maria Sharapova fans don’t despair-she’s number 4 and will be playing as well.
As great as it is to come out and watch the tennis matches, not everyone is a die-hard tennis nut, and at the Western & Southern Open, that’s just fine by them. There are a ton of things to do if you aren’t interested in watching tennis! Food, shopping, music, themed bars…there’s so much to choose from you won’t have time to catch a match anyway.
The food arena features 14 great restaurants. Cincinnati favorites like LaRosa’s, Skyline Chili and Montgomery Inn will be there, as well as Tony’s, Taste of Belgium, Fusian Sushi and new this year, Palomino. For dessert, Graeter’s is on hand, of course. Once you’re filled up, you can enjoy fabulous music on the main stage, featuring 30 regional bands playing everything from classic hits to bluegrass. As something different, evenings will feature a DJ in the food arena that will play a special blend of music to truly enhance your experience at the Open.
The 20,000 square-foot retail plaza will have a wide variety of boutiques, and the keystone of the area is the Midwest Sports air-conditioned tent. This tent will hold the largest tennis in the world with equipment, apparel and accessories – and if you are looking to dress like the pros do, be sure to stop by, because the exact outfits the Open players are wearing will be available for purchase!
All that eating, shopping and toe-tapping is sure to make you thirsty, so be sure to stop by the many themed beverage areas the Open hosts. You can enjoy non alcoholic selections like soda, hand-squeezed lemonade or smoothies or hit one of the “destination bars” that are all around the Open. The Michelob Ultra Legends Bar is your best seat in the house for listening to music while enjoying a cold brew. The el Arco Tequila Margarita Bar is a new addition to the Open, and will be the perfect place to grab an Arco Ace Margarita. More of a wine drinker? The Robert Mondavi Private Selection Wine Garden will offer the very best from the vineyards of Robert Mondavi surrounded by award-winning landscaping by LaMond Design. Each night at 5:30 a celebrity chef will be giving a demonstration in the Wine Garden.
Grab some shade and relax in the Emirates Lounge; you can try a little Belvadere Vodka and cool off while chatting with friends or watching the matches. And for a little style, stop by the Moet Champagne Bar: toast the players while treating yourself to the luxurious taste of Moet, the official Champagne of the Western & Southern Open.
New at the Open this year is area-wide FREE high speed Wi-Fi, covering all 20 acres. There is also an App available to follow the event: WSOpen Now. Get it now at the App store and start planning your Open experience!