Shaded Seats at the Cincinnati Open Champions Court

Champions Court is one of the newest stadiums at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. The intimate venue hosts singles matches in the early rounds of the Cincinnati Open and doubles matches later in the tournament. It’s one of the best-kept secrets on the grounds, and as an exclusively general-admission stadium, it gives tennis fans the chance to see up-and-coming star players up close, no matter what type of ticket they have. That said, Cincinnati is infamous for its summer heat and humidity, and Champions Court is open and outdoors, so fans can use this guide to identify the few shaded seats at Champions Court.

Where are the seats in the shade at Champions Court?

The seats in the shade at Champions Court are:

• Under cover: A few sideline rows are covered by a canopy
• West Sideline: Shaded late in the afternoon and evening as the sun sets

Matches at the Cincinnati Open begin daily as early as 11:00 AM, and the sun doesn’t set in Mason until approximately 8:30 PM in August. That’s over nine hours of tennis action in the summer heat! Whether attending a day or evening session, tennis fans should consider the availability of shade to avoid the peak Cincinnati sun.

Cincinnati Champions Court Orientation to the Sun

All tennis courts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center feature a slightly off-axis north to south orientation. For Champions Court, this orientation means the sun is over the southeast corner of the stadium when the first match begins in the morning. It arcs over the south side of the court around 2:00 PM and as the afternoon progresses, the sun dips behind the west side of the stadium and eventually sets near the northwest corner.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day during the third week in August.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Cincinnati Champions Court Matches

Champions Court was added to the Lindner Family Tennis Center during the 2025 campus transformation, and it’s a fantastic place to catch a match. If one of your favorite players is scheduled here, definitely take advantage of the opportunity to see them up close in a well-designed venue.

The biggest disadvantage of Champions Court is that of the 2,300 seats, only about 10 percent (a little over 200 seats) are reliably shaded during most of the day. A small canopy covers the last five rows on the west sideline. Seats closer to the court, as well as those behind the baselines, are completely exposed to the sun during the day. Given the limited shade options, fans who want to secure a shaded seat should arrive early and pounce when the opportunity arises.

Shade is limited at Champions Court but a canopy over the west side of the stadium (left) provides shade in the last few rows.

Around 6:00 PM, the sun will begin to set. Champions Court is only scheduled for day-session matches, but depending on how many three-setters there are, it may still be in use as night-session ticket holders arrive. Late in the afternoon, the west sideline is preferable to the east sideline, as fans on the west have the sun behind their backs, while fans on the east are looking directly into the setting sun.

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