Heavy rain and severe weather hitting the region this week are not enough to stop tennis fans from attending this year’s Cincinnati Open.
On Wednesday morning, the second day of qualifying matches, dozens of ticketholders showed up prepared to wait out in the weather in the hopes of being some of the first to see this week’s competition.
“[I’m] just excited to get in and see the players, maybe watch indoor practice, or just wait it out and be the first to get in to watch a match,” said Caroline Linan, who traveled from Denver to attend the tournament for the second year in a row.
Linan said she’s worried the rain will lead to changes in the tournament schedule that keep her from seeing Venus and Serena Williams, her favorite players, before she has to travel back home.
“It’ll be emotional because I never got to see them play [before], so I'm thankful for them coming back and playing,” Linan said. "It'll be an experience I'll never forget.”
The two sisters are slated to play doubles together for the first time since 2022.
Other attendees traveling to the region for the competition expressed similar concerns as Linan.
“We're only here for three or four days, so I don't want to miss a whole day of tennis. But we're here. Hopefully, the rain will clear up,” said Bruce Kudanian, who has been driving from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to attend the Cincinnati Open since 1999.
“When they let us in, we usually hang out by the players' lounge and take pictures with the players if they come out,” Kudanian said, adding his favorite part of the tournament is the proximity to competitors. “Somewhere like the U.S. Open, you're paying so much money, and the player is a little dot like 300 yards away from you.”
Sitting next to Kudanian and his son were Harmony and Kenny Eheim, who traveled from Dallas to attend the tournament for the third year in a row.
“Rain, shine, we're here all day until y'all let us in,” Harmony said.
Kenny said the pair met Kudanian and his son their first year attending, and now they plan to meet up with the family every year.
“They were the first ones to help us get our first card signature autograph from a player, and the love from that just kind of grew,” Kenny said.
Last year, the event brought 285,000 fans from all 50 states and 65 countries, according to tournament officials.
“People that live in Cincinnati have no idea how big of a tournament this is in the tennis world,” said local Melissa Koop. “You sit down to eat at the food court and you meet people from different countries and states that are just here to support the sport.”
Koop said her parents volunteered at the Cincinnati Open for decades, and she has attended for many years — now bringing her daughter to carry on the family tradition.
Asked what she is most looking forward to this year, Koop answered: “The rain to stop.”
“Getting to see some of the top tennis players in the world is just an opportunity that so many people don't ever get in their lifetime,” Koop said. “So, definitely some quality tennis — some dry, quality tennis.”
Tournament officials did not respond to a request for comment about how the weather would affect the tournament schedule.
They did post several notices pushing back the tournament’s start time on social media throughout the day. As of publication, competition had still not begun.
Play was also suspended for several hours on Tuesday.
Following a $260 million expansion that doubled the size of the Lindner Family Tennis Center in 2025, tournament officials have said this year is all about the fan experience, including an indoor fan zone that remained open during parts of the rainy day.
Draw matches are supposed to start Thursday. The Cincinnati Open’s semifinal and final matches will take place Aug. 22-23.
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