A Dozen Takeaways From The 2024 Cincinnati Open

By Richard Osborn

The 2024 Cincinnati Open is in the books, Jannik Sinner (men’s singles), Aryna Sabalenka (women’s singles), Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic (men’s doubles) and Asia Muhammad/Erin Routliffe (women’s doubles) having secured trophies. Here are 12 takeaways from a tournament to remember.

We learned that…

1 | ARYNA (FINALLY) BROKE THROUGH THE WALL

She had thrice reached the Cincinnati Open semifinals, in 2018, 2022 and again in 2023, but Aryna Sabalenka had yet to reach the title match. That is until this week. “It just shows that, no matter what happened in the past, you can always change things. You don’t have to focus on the past,” said Sabalenka, who went on to cool off the red-hot Jessica Pegula, 6-3, 7-5, in the title match. “That’s really good that I was able to kind of break the wall in this tournament.”

2 | SINNER IS MASTERFUL (EVEN WHEN HE’S NOT AT 100 PERCENT)

Slowed by a hip injury through much of the summer and forced to sit out the Olympics with a case of tonsillitis, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner played through some discomfort to top Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev and Frances Tiafoe in succession to secure his ATP Tour-leading fifth title of 2024. “It was a very difficult week, a tough week,” said Sinner, who turned 23 three days before earning the Rookwood Cup. “Usually, I never like birthdays, but I take it as a good present. It means a lot to me.” 

3 | FOLKS ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW, EXPANDED FORMAT (AND GROUNDS)

The Cincinnati Open, one of the longest-running tournaments in the U.S., is set to undergo an extensive, site-wide renovation that will include 10 new courts and make way for expanded 96-player ATP/WTA singles draws and an extended schedule in 2025. (BTW: The 2024 Cincinnati Open drew a record attendance of 205,068, the first time the combined ATP/WTA event drew over 200,000 in a single week.)

4 | JESS HAS SURE TURNED HER YEAR AROUND

Her ho-hum start to 2024 is now but a distant memory. Toronto champ Jessica Pegula became only the third American in the Open Era to kick off the North American hard-court swing by reaching back-to-back finals in Canada and Cincinnati, joining Hall of Famer Rosie Casals and 23-time major singles titlist Serena Williams. “I’ve basically turned my year around in the last few weeks,” said Pegula, her saw her eight-match win streak snapped by Aryna Sabalenka in the final. “There were a lot of different challenges this year that I hadn’t had to face the last few years. But that’s just the way it goes sometimes. It’s nothing new to me.”

5 | MANY ARE HANKERING FOR VIDEO REVIEW

The viral finish to the Jack Draper vs. Felix Auger Aliassime Round-of-16 Grandstand thriller had both fans and players calling for video review in crucial moments. “It’s going to be important to have, so you have an immediate check,” said world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. “I feel like tennis is one of the rare sports that doesn’t have video replay, which can be crucial. It’s good for tennis.”

6 | WE LOVE #TSITSIDOSA

Whether they’re holding hands in the gym or rooting for each other on the court, we can’t get enough of the power couple that is Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa. The 2024 Cincinnati Open proved to be another stepping stone for Badosa, who missed much of her 2023 season and plummeted in the rankings due to a career-threatening stress fracture in her back. The resurgent former No. 2 powered her way into the semis. “My goal is to be back where I was before,” she said. “I feel I belong there.”

7 | CARLOS ALCARAZ IS HUMAN AFTER ALL

Frustrated with his performance against veteran Gael Monfils in Round 2, a loss he would call the “worst match that I ever played in my career,” 2023 runner-up Carlos Alcaraz pulverized his racquet on the court. He would later apologize via X, writing: “My attitude yesterday was not correct and it is something that should not be done on the [court]. I am human, I had a lot of nerves inside and sometimes it is very difficult to control yourself when your heart rate is so high.”

8 | THE OLYMPIC TURNAROUND WASN’T EASY FOR EVERYONE

The quick clay-to-hard-court flip from the Olympic Games to the North American summer season proved too taxing for some. Medalists Donna Vekic (silver/singles), Taylor Fritz (bronze/doubles) and Tommy Paul (bronze/doubles) all fell in the opening round of the singles draw in Cincinnati, and Lorenzo Musetti (bronze/singles) was ousted in Round 2.

9 | FLAVIO COBOLLI HAS A THING FOR ROLLERCOASTERS

Kings Island, the 364-acre amusement park in Mason, Ohio, sits off in the distance beyond the Lindner Family Tennis Center like a giant cotton-candy-and-Skyline-Chili tease. Flavio Cobolli wasn’t about to miss out. The 22-year-old Italian, who played his way into the Round of 16 in Cincinnati, sampled the rides with his team, rollercoasters and all, confiding, “I’m a little bit nervous, but don’t tell anyone. I hope I don’t vomit at the finish of the ride.” (Thankfully, he didn’t.)

10 | CINCY HAS SOME STAR POWER

FC Cincinnati’s DeAndre Yedlin, and Jonathan India, Andrew Abbott, Brent Suter and Will Benson of the Cincinnati Reds were just a few of the star athletes who came out to the Lindner Family Tennis Center to take in the action.

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11 | ANDRE’S STILL GOT IT

Tommy Paul joined forces with Hall of Famer Andre Agassi for the Community Night Legends Match that also featured John Isner and Andy Roddick. “Andre still has it in the groundies and the return,” said Paul. “He’s one of my favorite players to watch. You go back and look at any champion of his caliber in this sport and you can learn something. Whether it’s his returns or his footwork, on and off the baseline, it was the best of his time, for sure.”

12 | HUBIE WOULD MAKE ONE HECK OF A MAJOR LEAGUE HURLER

He’s got some work to do when it comes to control, but 6-foot-5 Hubert Hurkacz would make one heck of a big-league hurler. The Pole threw out the first pitch prior to a Cincinnati Reds-St. Louis Cardinals game at Great American Ball Park. “It was a really interesting experience,” said Hurkacz. “To actually stand on the field and see the big stands was a really fun experience. It’s something different. I threw it a bit high, but he managed to catch it. I can throw a ball, but those guys are at a completely different level.”