MASON, Ohio — It's that time of the year when tennis greats make their way to Mason for the annual Western & Southern Open.
The tournament officially kicks off Saturday, Aug. 12 with qualifying matches for additional hopeful participants and ends on Sunday, Aug. 20 with finals.
This is the first year the more than century-old tournament is run under new owners Beemok Capital Group. Bob Moran, president of Beemok Sports and Entertainment, said the company has invested lots to create an elevated fan experience at this year's tournament.
This elevated fan experience comes as officials in North Carolina jockey to bring the tournament to Charlotte with the construction of a tennis facility proposed by Beemok Capital Group in Charlotte.
Whether you plan on heading to the tournament or catching the highlights of some of the biggest competitors, here's everything you need to know about the 2023 Western & Southern Open:
When does the tournament take place?
After qualifying matches on Aug. 12-13, the first round of the the tournament kicks off on Sunday, Aug. 13 and ends on Tuesday, Aug. 15. The tournament's second round takes place Aug. 15-16. From there, the Round of 16 is on Aug. 17, the quarterfinals are Aug. 18 and the semifinals are Aug. 19 before the finals on Aug. 20.
After the first two days of the qualifying matches, the tournament gates open at 10 a.m. for day sessions and 5 p.m. for night sessions. For the full tournament schedule, you can click here.
How to buy tickets
All full-tournament or multi-day tickets for the 2023 Western & Southern Open have sold out, but if you still want to catch some tennis there are single session tickets available. Each day of the tournament — except the first and last day — have a day session and night session that you can buy tickets for. Day session tickets range from $47-$121 and night session tickets range from $19-$86.
For a full list of the single sessions and their prices, click here.
Logistics for those attending
Every ticket purchased for Western & Southern includes free parking in the tournament's public parking lot. When you arrive at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, parking attendants will help point you in the right direction of the lot.
The tournament has eight match courts, and three of those are televised. Fans can expect to see big names like Novak Djokovic, Venus Williams, Carlos Alcaraz and more playing at the Center Court and Grandstand court, which are the two biggest courts.
For those planning to bring a bag to the tournament, any guests with backpacks will not be permitted into the tournament. Attendees CAN bring tote bags, cinch bags and other single compartment bags that are 12'' x 18'' x 15'' or smaller. Bottom line: the bag must fit on your lap or under the seat you occupy.
Attendees can also bring one unopened see-through plastic bottle of water or one empty non-see-through water bottle up to 33.5-ounces.
For those looking for possible autographs from players, attendees can bring one large tennis ball or one small can of three tennis balls.
For a complete list of prohibited items and more specifics on tournament rules, click here.
Is the tournament airing on TV?
The entirety of the Western & Southern Open is available to watch on Tennis Channel Plus, but there is other additional coverage for those without the subscription.
Bally Sports will have match coverage from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on every day of the tournament through Friday, Aug. 18. After that, the tournament's semifinals and finals will air on the Tennis Channel.
For the full TV schedule for the 2023 Western & Southern Open, click here.
Who is competing?
The tournament's initial entry list included the world's top 41 men and 39 women, including World No. 1 players Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek. Alcaraz, 20, is the reigning US Open champ and won his first Wimbledon title in July.
Also listed is Wimbledon finalist Djokovic, who has not played in a U.S. tournament since 2021. He pulled out of the 2021 Western & Southern Open, saying he needed to "recover and recuperate." In 2022, he couldn't compete in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Americans Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul are among the ATP competitors. Also listed are former Western & Southern Open champions Daniil Medvedev, Grigor Dimitrov and Andy Murray.
Wild card entrant Caroline Wozniacki is coming out of retirement to compete in Cincinnati. Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova is on the entry list along with Americans Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys.
On July 31, Williams was also awarded a Wild Card slot. Williams has never won the Western & Southern Open, but with this upcoming appearance, she will be tied for the second most appearances among active players, marking her 10th appearance in the Mason tournament.
Cincinnati natives Peyton Stearns, J.J. Wolf and Caty McNally will also all appear in the tournament. Wolf is ranked 43rd in the ATP, and Stearns and McNally are ranked 57th and 74th, respectively.
