The Cincinnati Open is undergoing significant changes in 2025, expanding both in size and duration while maintaining its close-knit, community-driven atmosphere. Tournament director Bob Moran has been intimately involved in overseeing the renovations and expansions at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Within just 11 months, the facility’s footprint doubled from 20 to 40 acres, with ongoing work expected to continue right up to the tournament start on August 5.

This year, the event will stretch from nine to 15 days and increase the singles draw from 56 to 96 players, nearly doubling player participation and their entourages. To accommodate this growth, a brand-new player building with dining areas and lounges has been constructed, alongside renovations to existing locker rooms and gym facilities. “The new building is absolutely beautiful, and the total space is dramatically expanded,” Moran said.

Fans will also notice upgrades including 5,000 new seats with backs in the Grandstand Court, a new sunken court, and 12 new practice courts. These enhancements aim to enrich the fan experience at an event that has been a staple of Ohio since 1899.

Two years ago, there was a real threat the tournament would relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, but significant financial support from the city of Mason, Warren County, and the state of Ohio—amounting to $135 million—secured its place at Lindner Family Tennis Center. Moran highlights the commitment, saying, “We want to be the heart of tennis for the midwest,” acknowledging that the complex is a year-round public facility hosting juniors, college players, and pros.

The expansion of the Cincinnati Open aligns with a broader trend among Masters 1000 events, joining Madrid, Rome, and the Canadian Open in extending tournament lengths. The increase in prize money reflects this growth, with a $5 million boost to a total purse of $14 million, split $9 million for men and $5 million for women.

However, the changes have stirred some concerns among players about the longer schedule and its impact on their competition opportunities. Moran acknowledged these challenges, noting efforts to create relief by scheduling additional events during the second weeks of such extended tournaments.

Ultimately, Moran emphasizes the benefits: “It just enables us to provide more opportunities for people to see great tennis.” The longer format also gives exposure to players outside the top ranks, offering fans a broader look at high-level tennis talent. Reflecting on this, Moran said, “I don’t care what you do for a living, if you’re the 50th best in the world at it, you’ve gotta be pretty darn good.”

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, will head to the US Open without participating in the ATP Masters 1000 events preceding the tournament. Following his withdrawal from the National Bank Open in Toronto, Djokovic announced he is also pulling out of the Cincinnati Open for a “non-medical” reason. This marks the second consecutive Masters 1000 event he will miss before the final Grand Slam of the season.

Djokovic is a three-time Cincinnati Open champion, most recently securing the title in 2023 by defeating Carlos Alcaraz. His absence at the Cincinnati event this year coincides with the one-year anniversary of his Olympic gold medal victory in Paris, after which he also missed the tournament last year.

The 38-year-old Serbian last competed at Wimbledon, reaching the semifinals for the third time this season before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner, who also defeated Djokovic in straight sets at Roland Garros earlier this year. Reflecting on his recent performances, Djokovic commented, “I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, yeah, the worse the condition gets.”

He further explained the challenges of facing young, fit opponents, saying, “I reach the semis of every slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that. It is what it is, you know? It’s one of these things I accept and embrace in some way, deal with the reality the way it is, and try to make the most out of it, I guess.”

Despite skipping Cincinnati, Djokovic will participate in the US Open’s reimagined mixed doubles event during Fan Week in New York. He and fellow Serbian Olga Danilovic received a wild card alongside six other teams, with the competition set for August 19-20 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2025 Cincinnati Masters for the second year in a row, heightening concerns about his physical condition. The former world No 1 had planned to return to the tour at the seventh Masters 1000 event this season after also withdrawing from the Canadian Masters. He skipped both tournaments in the previous year but had a strong run at the Paris Olympic Games post-Wimbledon with six additional matches.

Djokovic’s last match was a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 semi-final defeat at Wimbledon against world No 1 Jannik Sinner, marking his fifth consecutive loss to the Italian. Notably, Djokovic suffered a severe slip during his quarter-final against Flavio Cobolli. In the match against Sinner, Djokovic appeared physically compromised and struggled to employ his usual defensive play.

In his post-match press conference, Djokovic reflected on his condition: “Honestly, wasn’t really a pleasant feeling on the court. I don’t want to talk, in details, about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best. I want to congratulate Jannik for another great performance. That’s it. He’s in the finals. He was too strong.”

He acknowledged the challenges brought by age and physical wear: “I do feel, yeah, disappointed that I just wasn’t able to move as well as I thought or hoped that I would. I don’t think it’s bad fortune. It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest.”

Djokovic noted the difficulty of best-of-five set matches this year, particularly facing young and fit opponents like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. “I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that. It is what it is, you know? It’s one of these things I accept and embrace in some way, deal with the reality the way it is, and try to make the most out of it, I guess.”

His withdrawal from Cincinnati means Djokovic will head to the US Open without any hard-court match play for approximately 44 days. Despite this unusual preparation, he boasts an impressive record at the US Open with 10 finals appearances and four titles, maintaining an 87% win rate across 104 matches. His most recent US Open campaign ended in a third-round loss to Alexei Popyrin, his earliest exit since 2006.