Nicole D’Silva | The Chronicle
With summer coming to a close, Mason High School (MHS) students and staff checked one last item off their bucket lists as they watched 96 tennis players battle on the newly renovated tennis courts.
From Aug. 5 to Aug. 18, the Cincinnati Open was held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. After a $260 million renovation in the past year, the center has over 30 courts and a world-class player lounge. This was a very exciting event for many MHS students and staff, as many world-renowned players made an appearance, including Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff. As this tournament was the last event before the US Open, the final grand slam of the season, players came prepared.
For many, going to the Cincinnati Open is similar to going to one of the four Grand Slam tournaments here in Mason. A highly anticipated event by many during the year, the tournament attracts fans from all over the country, and many from our very own high school.
School Psychologist and Stugo Advisor Jeff Schlaeger takes a selfie at the MHS tennis courts as profes-
sional tennis players practice.
MHS psychologist, Jeff Schlaeger had the opportunity to be a volunteer at the tournament this year. He has attended the Cincinnati Open almost every year since 2003, and has been able to interact one-on-one with the world’s top players. In past years, Schlaeger had a chauffeur position driving players to and from the airport. This summer, however, he helped out the players more directly and got to speak to them.
“[There are around] 300 players who come to this tournament, and a lot of them practice on the MHS tennis courts,” Schlaeger said. “During part of my volunteer shifts, I got to manage and run that. I was at the MHS courts, saw very well-known players, [helped them] check in and [worked] the book to practice spots at our place. I gave them anything from Gatorade to water bottles and put them on the right court [to practice].”
While interacting with the tournament’s players, Schlaeger noticed that many of them seemed to appreciate that he was down-to-earth and treated them like normal people, and wasn’t just asking for an autograph.
“It is cool to get to know a lighter side of people you follow and look for [on our screens],” Schlaeger said.
Many students at MHS were also in attendance at the tournament, but only a few got to be up close to the action. Sophomore Alan Chackuvail spent his time at the tournament volunteering as a ball boy. This year marked his second time volunteering, after attending as a fan the year before. For the first three days of the tournament, he served as a ball kid. He gave players balls and towels when they needed them.
“It was fun for me to be a ball kid for the [world’s best] players,” Chackuvail said. “I also liked traveling around the tournament, watching matches for free and getting free food.”
Megha Nadagouda, a senior at MHS, has been going to the Cincinnati Open for about 10 years, and for seven of them, she and her dad bought season tickets so they could go every day. For the most recent three years, she has also been volunteering as a ball kid. With a lot of participation on the court, she has had many valuable experiences. She described what she likes most about volunteering.
“One of my favorite things about being a ball kid is just getting to be so close to the players,” Nadagouda said. “Like, obviously, we’re not allowed to talk to them. But you get the best view of the game. From anywhere you’re literally on the court, that’s the best view you can get. So yeah, being a ball kid has really taught me a lot about tennis, the players, and, really, the background of everything.”
After following different players’ schedules throughout the year, the Cincinnati Open is a great chance for students to see how they play up close.
“Last year I got to be a ball kid for Ben Shelton, who is one of my favorite players,” Nadagouda said. “And I got to see him again this year when I was just watching.”
Samaira Kakkar (left) poses next to Jannik Sinner (right) while he was golfing in Mason.
Most of the tennis players at the event lodge in Mason and can be found doing seemingly regular activities such as going out for breakfast or going to see a movie. Senior Samaira Kakkar, who lives on a golf course, saw Jannik Sinner playing on a hole near her house.
“When my brother spotted Sinner, [my family] rushed out of the house to catch up to him,” Kakkar said. “He was very polite and didn’t hesitate to talk and take pictures with us. We are huge Sinner fans and love watching tennis, so this was a really unreal and special moment.”
Out of the many players in attendance this year, one made an especially big impression on the fans. Specifically from this year, Chackuvail and Schlaeger both consider Carlos Alcaraz to be their favorite player.
“I just think [Carlos Alcaraz] is so good for tennis overall,” Schlaeger said. ”He’s really fun to watch because he’s energetic, interactive with fans and impressive in that I think he’s only been speaking English fluently for around three years.”
I consider the tournament to be one of their favorite events of the summer, with the positive atmosphere being widespread.
“It’s like we’re in Europe,” Schlaeger said. “It’s just crazy because all these people have different languages, cultures and interests, but are in Mason. It’s a cool way to end the summer.”
