As title sponsor of the W&SFG Women's Open and the W&SFG Masters, Western & Southern Financial Group® has become closely associated with the world of tennis. In 2002, the company became the title sponsor of the Masters to ensure that

No. 2 seed Nadia Petrova of Russia clinched her eighth career title by winning the 2008 W&SFG Women’s Open.

the championship tournament stayed in Greater Cincinnati, which has hosted professional tennis for more than 100 years. In 2004, we became the sponsors of the W&SFG Women’s Open, bringing women’s tennis back to Cincinnati after an absence of more than 15 years. Since then, the tournaments have allowed the company to share the Western & Southern story with millions of TV viewers in more than 30 countries and more than 200,000 tournament attendees each year.

A corporate highlight of the 2008 tournaments was the debut of two new TV spots that delivered key selling messages. The new spots, which aired during W&SFG Masters broadcasts on ESPN2, focused on the "reluctant customer" and how W&SFG companies’ products and services can make a difference in their lives.

In the 2008 W&SFG Masters, No. 8 seed Andy Murray of Scotland won his first ATP singles title by defeating World No. 3 Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States won the doubles title.

In the W&SFG Women’s Open, No. 2 seed Nadia Petrova of Russia captured the singles trophy by beating unseeded Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy. Petrova also teamed up with partner Maria Kirilenko to win the tournament doubles title.

As one of nine ATP Masters Series tournaments and one of the 13 "major" events in men’s tennis in the world, the W&SFG Group Masters ranks in the highest level on the international ATP tennis circuit.

Andy Murray of Scotland, the tournament’s No. 8 seed, captured the 2008 W&SFG Masters to win his first ATP Masters Series.

The W&SFG Women's Open is a tier three tournament on the Sony Ericsson WTA tour. Both tournaments are played at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, north of Cincinnati.

The tournaments benefit the Greater Cincinnati area by generating more than $25 million of economic activity annually. Since 1974, the tournaments have contributed more than $7.7 million to local charities. The W&SFG Masters benefits Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the Seniors Tournament benefits Tennis for City Youth, a program of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission and the National Junior Tennis League. The W&SFG Women's Open benefits the Charles M. Barrett Cancer Center, named after the late physician who was a Western & Southern president, chairman, and chief executive officer.

In 2009, the W&SFG Women's Open will be played August 10-16. The W&SFG Masters will be played August 17-23.