The Cincinnati Open 2025 experienced multiple match suspensions on Tuesday, August 12, including a notable halt involving Jessica Pegula. The disruptions were caused by severe weather conditions and a power outage affecting the event in Cincinnati, USA. These interruptions impacted key players like Alexander Zverev and Pegula, raising concerns over tournament scheduling and player readiness.
Weather Forces Interruptions to Key Matches
During the second set of his match against Brandon Nakashima, Alexander Zverev was leading and preparing to serve for the match at 5-4 when officials announced a suspension due to lightning in the area. Concurrently, Jessica Pegula staged a significant comeback after losing the first set in a tiebreaker, but her match was also paused amid the bad weather forecast predicting heavy rain and lightning until late evening in Cincinnati. The tournament confirmed these suspensions affected men’s and women’s singles, along with two women’s doubles matches.
The Cincinnati Open issued a statement stating,
“Due to the rain, there will be no further play this evening. A revised order of play for Wednesday will be released shortly.”
—Tournament Officials
The halted doubles matches involved pairs Guo Hanyu and Alexandra Panova versus Demi Schuurs, Asia Muhammad and Peyton Stearns, as well as Marketa Vondrousova facing Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani. Additionally, the highly anticipated night match between Ben Shelton and Roberto Bautista Agut was postponed because of the extreme weather.
Power Outage Adds to Ongoing Challenges at Cincinnati Open
Preceding the weather issues, the tournament faced controversy tied to a massive $260 million campus renovation aimed at upgrading the facilities and fan experience. On Monday, August 11, play was disrupted when a power outage hit the center court, impacting electronic systems relied upon during matches. This led to a one-hour delay before play resumed with generator support, highlighting vulnerabilities in the new infrastructure.
The tournament released a clarification on the incident:
“The loss of power impacted several systems used by the tournament and caused a delay of approximately one hour before play was able to resume with generator power.”
—Tournament Officials
Match Resumptions and Upcoming Schedule at the Cincinnati Open
Play is expected to resume Wednesday morning, August 13, with a full lineup that includes completing the suspended matches from the previous day. Among these, American Frances Tiafoe will face Holger Rune in a round four match at the P&G Center court beginning at 11:00 a.m. local time. Following this, Jessica Pegula will continue her match against Magda Linette, aiming to build on her earlier comeback effort.
Other prominent players scheduled to compete Wednesday include Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton, and Madison Keys. Tournament officials plan to release an updated order of play once all weather conditions stabilize.
Current Weather Conditions Affecting the Cincinnati Open
The latest weather reports indicate a 40% chance of rain in Cincinnati, with partly cloudy skies early in the day. Organizers remain vigilant in monitoring conditions to ensure player safety and minimize further disruptions to the tournament schedule.
The ongoing interruptions at the Cincinnati Open 2025 underscore the challenges faced by major sporting events in balancing player performance and safety amid unpredictable weather and infrastructure issues. With key matches still pending, the outcomes could influence player momentum and tournament rankings as the season progresses.