The Cincinnati Open is famously known for its unparalleled access to players, but this is taking it to a whole different level.
This week at the WTA 1000 event in Mason, Ohio, a select number of lucky fans were given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to record messages for their favorite players on the Fan Cam.
Little did they know, the players — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 3 Iga Swiatek and the top two men’s players in the world, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz — were standing 5 yards away from them, listening closely to every word they were saying.
The tennis stars got a kick out of the fan comments, with Sabalenka showing a heart sign upon hearing the fans praise her authenticity and Swiatek playfully growling after hearing that she’s an “animal.”
Given an opportunity to ask questions — which they presumably would never hear the answers to, or so they thought — the fans were floored when the players immediately answered them in real time.
“It’s pretty cool, to be honest,” Sabalenka casually answered a young girl, who asked her what it’s like to be the No. 1 player in the world.
“Oh my gosh, you’re live?” a diehard Swiatek fan said, bewildered and looking like she was about to come out of her shoes.
And as if that wasn’t epic enough, there was a second surprise, and this one was even more special.
Swiatek and the others informed the fans that they had a little gift for them, at the back of the room. When they headed there, they were blown away to find their favorite players in the flesh, quietly standing behind them and photobombing. The fans got some hugs and a bit of conversation — Sabalenka called one of her young fans a “future superstar” — the perfect bow on the ultimate tennis bucket-list moment, one they’ll surely never forget.
Sabalenka, the defending champion in Cincinnati, is into the fourth round after a thrilling three-hour, three-set win over 30th seed Emma Raducanu. She’ll play Jessica Bouzas Maneiro for a spot in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Swiatek is also in the fourth round after 25th seed Marta Kostyuk withdrew with a right wrist injury. She’ll play Sorana Cirstea on Wednesday.