9-07-2025 9:52pm

Volunteers Help To Make The CincinnatI Open A Huge Success

Beth Callahan Editor

MASON, OH -- The Cincinnati Open, held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, wrapped up another successful year. The secret to its success? The over 1,500 volunteers needed each year.

This large number of volunteers contributes over 70,000 hours of work to manage the event and support community initiatives, according to a recent post from the Cincinnati Open's news section.

One group that has been helping since 2004 is MCP (Mason Community Players).

"MCP volunteered to park at the tournament as a sub-team for the Mason High School Choral Department. Beginning in 2005, our community theatre has volunteered in the North parking lot and has done so since then except for two years … once when a professional parking company was contracted, which did not work out, and once during COVID restrictions when the tournament was played in NYC. That gives us 19 years of participation in the program," explained Laureen Catlin, President, Mason Community Players, Inc.

"Mason Community Players is very grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the volunteer program of the tennis tournament since 2004. Ticket sales alone cannot sustain a community theatre, especially when the troupe has its own venue. The funds earned through the program, not only helps procure the resources to produce a show, but is instrumental in providing the financing needed for mortgage, renovation, and general maintenance of our home. MCP cannot express sufficiently what a difference volunteering for the tournament makes for us, since we are a non-profit organization. It would be extremely difficult to have a permanent venue if not for our participation in the program," Catlin added.

The Cincinnati Open takes many hours of planning and work to be successful. Thanks to the 1,500+ volunteers who join the team each year, it continues to grow as one of the world’s premier tennis events. The volunteers time is not only helping make the Cincinnati Open a success, but it assists the tournament in continued efforts to give back to the community.

Since 1974, the tournament has contributed more than $12 million to various beneficiaries including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the UC Health Cancer Center and Tennis for City Youth.

Founded in 1899, the Cincinnati Open, an ATP Masters 1000 and a WTA 1000 tournament, is older than the Rose Bowl, the Davis Cup, baseball’s first World Series, the first Indy 500, and golf’s Masters. First played in 1899 on the current site of Xavier University, the tournament has been a fixture in the Queen City for more than a century. It is the nation’s longest-running professional tennis tournament played in its city of origin.

Today, the Cincinnati Open welcomes over 200,000 fans who come from all 50 states and more than 40 countries. The tournament is seen by more than 126 million global viewers in over 192 global markets. The champions list reads like a who’s who of tennis greats, with more than 100 International Tennis Hall of Famers having played in Cincinnati over the years.

For 125 years, the Cincinnati Open has been a key component of the region’s landscape. With a focus on providing world-class fan and player experiences, the major projects set to be completed in the coming year are part of a $260 million investment in the future of the tournament. This campus transformation is made possible through our partnership with the City of Mason and Warren County.

To learn more about the history of the Cincinnati Open, watch Feelin' Good's host Shelly Abrams, in the video below, as she shares how she has watched the tournament and campus transform through her eyes as a volunteer.

The tournament welcomes volunteers from our local community and beyond. With a variety of committees and positions available, there is an opportunity for everyone. Information about the ball crew can be found here. Volunteer registration for the 2026 Cincinnati Open will open in Spring 2026.

Interested? Fill out the form linked below to receive a notification when registration opens.

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"Volunteer at the Cincinnati Open and be an integral part of the heart of tennis"