This blog was written by President & CEO of the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Phil Smith, who prior to joining the CVB had spent 22 years in senior management with the Western & Southern Open. During his time with the tournament, the event experienced the greatest period of growth in its history, and his areas of responsibility included international television, advertising, communications and hotel operations. On August 11, 2012, he will be enshrined in the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame for his efforts that helped to make the tournament what it is today.

It was a pleasure to work for more than 20 years with the Western & Southern Open - one of the world's biggest pro tennis events which is held every August in Warren County. In addition to helping to produce a huge global event for hundreds of thousands of passionate tennis fans, my time with the tournament also allowed me to travel to some exciting tennis destinations and to meet some fascinating people, including the players.

The tournament week always is a special time as the fans can get so close to their world-famous tennis heroes. But the players don't just go back-and-forth from their hotel rooms to the Lindner Family Tennis Center while they are in Warren County. Like most of our visitors, they take in the sights, which means you may be surprised who you see browsing in one of our bookstores or sitting at a table in one of our restaurants.

One popular spot is Deerfield Towne Center. Turns out the players are just like all of us: they love to shop. And the restaurants there, especially those which are known to serve pasta dishes, are a particular favorite of the players.

This year's tournament, just as every year, promises to be one filled with stellar performances and world-class match-ups. Who do you think will win the 2012 W&S Open? Tell us in the comments below and you could be randomly chosen to win tickets to see all the world's greatest tennis stars all on one stage!