Shaded Seats at the Cincinnati Open Center Court

The Lindner Family Tennis Center is a world-class campus in Mason, Ohio. There are 16 total courts on the grounds but the biggest matches are always scheduled on Center Court. The Cincinnati Open takes place in August and Southwest Ohio is notorious for hot and humid summers with late sunsets. Fans planning to see their favorite tennis stars can use this guide along with the stadium seating chart to find the best shaded seats at the Cincinnati Open Center Court.

Where Are the Shaded Seats at the Cincinnati Open?

At the Lindner Family Tennis Center’s Center Court, shaded seats are generally as follows:

• Overlook Boxes: Premium covered seats behind the north baseline
• South Baseline: Shaded in club seats connected to The Tower
• West Sideline: Shaded in late afternoon and evening as the sun dips
• Under Cover: A few rows on the east sideline are covered and shaded

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.

Important Context About Center Court

The current iteration of Center Court first opened in the 1980s but has undergone several upgrades and expansions, including as part of the major campus transformation in 2025. As a result, seating charts have changed over the years and its important to reference the correct one. This article uses the most up-to-date seating chart which you can find on the Ticketmaster website.

Center Court boasts one of the most distinctive stadium designs in tennis, featuring an asymmetrical layout: a large structure along the west sideline, and The Tower behind the south baseline, which connects Center Court directly to Grandstand. The Tower itself is a multi-level building housing the Grandview Club, the Fifth Third Advantage Club, and the 1899 Club, as well as the press and broadcast booths at the very top. This design creates unique shade patterns throughout the day. Read on to find out what to expect.

Cincinnati Open Center Court Orientation to the Sun

All tennis courts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center feature a slightly off-axis north to south orientation. For Center Court, this orientation means the sun is over the southeast corner of the stadium when the first match begins in the morning. It moves directly above The Tower on 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.

Click or tap to see a seating chart for the next session at Center Court

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Morning Cincinnati Open Matches

Fans arriving in the morning for the first match of the day at 11:00 AM will find shade relatively limited on Center Court. One of the few places to find shade is in the southwest corner, sections 219 and 220. In late morning, the sun is positioned on the opposite side of The Tower, which casts a shadow over these seats. As the day goes on, these sections will become sunny in the early afternoon, then shaded again as the sun begins to dip in the late afternoon.

Seats in the southwest corner of Center Court are shaded in the morning, as The Tower casts a shadow over these sections.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Cincinnati Open Matches

After lunchtime, shade options at Center Court remain limited. The key to finding shade in the early afternoon is to look for cover. The Overlook Boxes (sections 306–309) are a solid choice, with seats covered by a large roof. However, the position of the sun in the early afternoon still allows some rays to splash on the first few rows, so shade seekers should prefer rows toward the middle and back.

Overlook Boxes behind the north baseline are covered, and most rows are shaded for the entire day.

Seats behind the south baseline are generally the first to receive shade, due to their position relative to the sun and a large awning extending from the top of The Tower. Seating options here include club seats with included drinks (Grandview Club), all-inclusive food (Fifth Third Advantage Club), and the ultra-high-end 1899 Club, where fans can watch matches completely indoors, in air-conditioning, while enjoying chef-designed menus and beverages. These club sections are all excellent choices for shade seekers who can afford it.

In the middle of the afternoon, shade can be found in club seats adjacent to The Tower. Fans seated in the Grandview Club (where this photo is taken) are all enjoying shaded seats.

The Overlook Box and club seats are great for shade for fans who can afford it, but there are a few budget shade options as well. Upper-level pavilion sections 401–404, under another large awning, receive shade early in the afternoon. They’re centrally located on the highest level of the west sideline. Sections on the 200-level and 100-level directly beneath these pavilion seats will also be shaded later in the afternoon, as the sun dips and the stadium blocks its rays.

Pavilion sections 401–404 are covered and shaded for most of the afternoon.

Another budget shade option is sections 314–318. The last seven rows (J and higher on the seating chart) are under cover and reliably shaded. These seats have slightly less desirable sightlines than those across the stadium in 401–404, but one nice thing about Center Court is that no matter where you sit, there really aren’t any bad sightlines.

A small canopy over seats on the east sideline provides a limited amount of shade in rows J and above.

The sunniest seats are uncovered, on the east sideline. Sections 105–111 and 210–216 are sun-soaked for the entire afternoon. On the 300-level, sections 314–318 are only safe in the uppermost rows. Behind the north baseline, all seats aside from the Overlook Boxes are sunny.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Cincinnati Open Matches

With the sun setting in mid-August in Cincinnati around 8:30 PM, shade considerations remain important for evening sessions. Overlook Box seats remain excellent for shade, with additional shade now available on the west sideline. From the northwest to the southwest corner, the 100-level and 200-level will be shaded. As sunset nears, the lower two levels behind the north baseline also become shaded. Premium seats behind the south baseline are shielded from the sun. However, sections 111–115 are an exception, as the position of the sun leaves them exposed later in the afternoon.

The sun sets behind the west side of Center Court during the first match of the evening session.
Mauricio Paiz / Alamy Stock Photo

The sunniest seats are on the east sideline. As the sun sets, the shade line crosses the court and moves up, from seats closest to the court to those farthest away. The 100-level will be shaded first, followed by the 200-level, and finally the 300-level. A few covered seats at the back of the 300-level on this side offer some relief, but they’re less ideal than the west sideline, since the setting sun is in your eyes.

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