“Oh my god, it’s insane. Honestly, when I first came here I was like, ‘what’s going on?’ I was like, ‘where am I?’” gasped Aryna Sabalenka, capturing the awe that has swept through the tennis world over Cincinnati’s $260 million transformation. This monumental investment, one of the most ambitious moves in recent Masters history, has reshaped the Ohio tournament into a glittering stage for world-class tennis. Just a day after Jannik Sinner hoisted the 2024 trophy, everything felt new, electric. And now, as the upgrades continue to ignite conversation across the sport, Coco Gauff has made her feelings crystal clear about the changes. Curious?
In her Cincinnati opener, No. 2 seed Coco Gauff delivered a clean, no-fuss performance, dismantling Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-2 in just 70 minutes. The win made her the fifth American in the PIF WTA Rankings Top 50 to advance to the third round, joining a formidable national contingent of eight. But while her on-court composure was undeniable, it was the post-match press conference that truly lit up the conversation, where she was asked about the tournament’s sweeping changes and pointed out the one that had stolen her attention the most.
“It’s been really cool. Literally, when I talked to you guys last time, I had got out of the car and came straight to the press conference room. So, I’ve now been able to explore it. Yeah, I said on the tennis channel, my favorite is like the unlimited food,” she laughed.
She later elaborated with warmth, “I just, and they had that here before, but I don’t know, just having acai bowls and smoothies and all of that has been cool, but also just the space and the facilities here are great. Like just having space to be alone. I feel like a lot of times these tournaments, we see each other all the time.” For Gauff, Cincinnati had solved a problem many events overlook, the overstimulation that comes with constant proximity.
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 23, 2024 Coco Gauff of the U.S. during her quarterfinal match against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy
Here, players could breathe. “If you want to see people, you can go to the dining area and talk. If you want to be by yourself, there are a lot of places in the locker room to chill and just around to chill. And then the paddle and just more fun stuff to do, like while we’re hanging out and waiting.”
Then came the appreciation, laced with gratitude for the visionaries behind the $260 million transformation. “And I think it’s great to have in the practice court. I think I haven’t had any problems like getting practice scores or practice time. So, I really credit the tournament and those who invested in this event for doing that because it means a lot to us players, and hopefully, the fans appreciate it as well,” she said. It was more than praise, it was recognition that Cincinnati had set a new standard for what a tournament experience could be.
(More to come…)
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