The Western & Southern Open was in the New York City spotlight on Monday, and it wasn't just the world-class tennis action. Western & Southern Financial Group CEO John Barrett rang the NASDAQ Closing Bell in a virtual event, with the fanfare projected in Times Square.
After an introduction from NASDAQ vice president David Wicks, Barrett (pictured above) provided remarks on the Western & Southern Open and its rich Cincinnati history. Now in its 19th year as the title sponsor of the "Cincy" event, Western & Southern is the longest-running title sponsor of any ATP or WTA event in the United States.
"I want to tell you how honored we are that our tournament is the first to bring back the ATP and the WTA tours to one place for a combined event," Barrett said.
USTA CEO and Executive Director Mike Dowse also spoke at the virtual event, thanking Western & Southern for their support.
"In addition to pro tennis, recreational tennis is doing better than ever," he added. "Participation is coming up at an all-time high, as people have discovered tennis is the perfect social-distancing sport."
The event also featured a special appearance from Kim Clijsters and Frances Tiafoe, who provided some creative cheering as the bell countdown began. Select parts of the bell ceremony appeared on national TV business outlets such as CNBC, Fox Business and Bloomberg, among others.
Photo Credit: NASDAQ