Emma Navarro’s parents, billionaire philanthropists Ben and Kelly Navarro, joined defending champion Jannik Sinner for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, marking the beginning of a new chapter for America’s oldest tennis tournament.
With tennis legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf looking on alongside former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, the moment represented both Cincinnati’s $260 million investment in tennis excellence and the sport’s brightest stars embracing its future.
How Did Jannik Sinner Help Launch the Cincinnati Open’s New Era?
Shortly before sunset on August 3, fans and players gathered court-side as tournament director Bob Moran welcomed them to the Lindner Family Tennis Center’s grand reopening. Ben Navarro, who acquired the tournament through Beemok Capital, and his wife Kelly stepped forward with Sinner for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially ushering in a new era for America’s oldest tennis tournament.
No. 1 ranking Jannik Sinner helping celebrate the start of the Cincinnati Open 🎾👏🏻
Join me at 6 o’clock as I field anchor from the newly renovated, $260 million campus! @WLWT pic.twitter.com/yB4iAfAihB
— Lindsay Stone (@_LindsayStone) August 3, 2025
Over the past year, public and private partners invested $260 million to transform the grounds into a 40.5-acre tennis paradise. The expansion includes ten additional courts and a sunken, 2,000-seat stadium designed with optimal sightlines and acoustics. The centerpiece is a massive 56,000-square-foot, two-story player clubhouse featuring relaxation lounges, dining areas, sports medicine suites, and state-of-the-art locker rooms.
Adjacent to the player facilities, a sprawling fan pavilion showcases a towering 28-foot high-definition video board for match replays and live feeds. These upgrades accommodate the expanded 96-player singles draws while providing year-round conference and event space to boost local tourism.
The extensive renovation directly addressed relocation threats from 2024, when Charlotte and overseas markets aggressively courted the prestigious event. By combining Ohio taxpayers’ $130 million pledge with Beemok’s funding, the Navarros cemented Cincinnati’s status as a premier Masters 1000 destination.
Sinner arrives in Mason carrying the momentum of his 2025 Wimbledon crown and the confidence of a defending champion. His 2024 Cincinnati Open victory came via a commanding 7-6, 6-2 victory over Frances Tiafoe in the final.
This year, Sinner made a strategic decision to skip the Canadian Open, instead arriving early to train on Cincinnati’s recently completed courts. Working alongside coach Darren Cahill, he’s been adapting his clay-court footwork to the faster Ohio hard courts while fine-tuning his serve for the crucial US hard-court swing ahead.
A star studded opening to the new Cincinnati Open. pic.twitter.com/O7n8iIg3GQ
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 3, 2025
Beyond his singles title defense, Sinner is set to team up with Navarro for the US Open mixed doubles draw, which will be held as a standalone event before the main draw. The pair, who met just days before Wimbledon 2025, will compete in the 16-team mixed doubles event starting August 19, bringing added star power to the week between Cincinnati and the US Open
