As I mentioned in yesterday’s dispatch, I’m breaking down one feature of the new Cincinnati Open grounds each day while I’m here. Today’s focus: practice courts.
The Practice Court Upgrade
The practice court setup is so much better than last year. There’s now a permanent, dedicated area with significantly more seating, so you’re no longer crammed against a wire fence, standing for hours to catch a glimpse of a favorite player. With seating all the way around the structure, the views are much improved too.
Last year, there were blind spots where you couldn’t see parts of the court unless you were a particularly daring fan willing to go to extreme lengths. Now, most of those issues are solved.
That said, there’s still room for improvement. Some of the elevated seating sections have obstructed views—so obstructed, in fact, that you can’t see the court at all from certain spots. It’s fixable, and hopefully the tournament takes a look at it before next year.
There are also other courts around the grounds that double as both practice courts and match courts, all with upgraded seating. With the expanded player fields, there’s plenty of space for everyone to get their training in on site. The show courts themselves often serve as practice venues before the day’s matches start or between sessions.
Overall: a big improvement, with a few tweaks needed.
Media Day & Player Press
Today brought a busy mix of pre-tournament and post-match press:
Amanda Anisimova – Reflected on her Wimbledon loss and the strong bounce-back she’s had since, plus her love for being back on hard courts—her favorite surface.
Coco Gauff – Broke the news she won’t be playing doubles at the US Open (a disappointment for many), but hinted at a possible custom dress for the tournament.
Venus Williams – Shared thoughtful takeaways after her loss to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro – Spoke about her match against Venus and her own momentum.
João Fonseca
& Markéta Vondroušová – Checked in post-match.
🎧 All press conference audio is attached.
Coming Soon on Ground Pass
I also recorded two special interviews for upcoming Meet the Players and coaching-focused episodes:
Maya Joint – Rising star and future Meet the Players feature.
Brian Garber – Coach to Ethan Quinn, sharing insights on player development for a Meet the Professionals episode.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss them when they drop.
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