It’s Back to Business as a Normal ATP 500 for @CitiOpen

Posted by Admin on August 6, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

It’s Back to Business as a Normal ATP 500 for @CitiOpen

Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Well, the Rafael Nadal hangover is still around, if only for a day. After Nadal’s exit from the Citi Open in Washington last night, there’s a collective sense of loss and exhaustion from the electricity he brought to this ATP 500 event. However, there are eight excellent quarterfinal matches on tap today and storylines still abound.

Let’s stat with Denis Kudla. On Monday, he said that he’d underachieved in his career. Three wins later and Kudla is looking to make his first hometown tournament semifinal today. He went through a tortuous period from 2008-2017, where the DC local went 0-8 in qualifying and first round losses. To make his first ATP Tour final in DC would be a real silver lining for him and the Citi Open. After beating Brandon Nakashima, who’d been playing near perfect tennis, I predict that he will be the semifinalist from this All-American match.

Steve Johnson has been beating the odds all week, first by taking out tournament #3 seed Alex DeMinaur and following it up with a lights-out win over Ricardas Berankis yesterday. Today, he’ll face longer odds as he tries to unseat the highest remaining seeded player, #5 Jannik Sinner, to book his third Citi Open semifinal. That may be a tall order for Johnson, as Sinner looks unbeatable.

Jenson Brooksby continues to dazzle. Jenson’s July was only a pretext of what was to come here in Washington. He has knocked off #16 seed Tiafoe and #2 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and today he faces #11 seed John Millman. Brooksby hasn’t dropped a set all week, but today I am predicting that Millman will end Brooksby’s impressive Citi Open run.

Photo: Christopher Levy, @Tennis_Shots

Finally, Kei Nishikori and Lloyd Harris square off for the last semifinal berth. This one is a big question mark as both players may begin to feel some exhaustion set in after last night’s three set wins. Harris looked great out there, but will there be a letdown coming off of his greatest win yet? Kei Nishikori, who has been the rockstar of Citi Opens past, is a bit of an under-the-radar player this week. That said, I’m going to tip his way to reach the semis.

A @CitiOpen Loss For @RafaelNadal

Posted by Admin on August 5, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
Credit: Ryan Loco, Citi Open

A Citi Open Loss For Rafael Nadal

Steve Fogleman in Washington

Rafael Nadal’s comeback tour hit a speed bump tonight with a 4-6, 6-1, 4-6 nail biter with Lloyd Harris at the Citi Open ATP 500 in Washington. Harris was 1-5 against top 10 opponents with his best result against #4 Sascha Zverev, so it’s the biggest result of his singles career. After the match, Nadal said that his nagging foot pain felt better today and lamented that “the most painful thing is to not be able to be on court in front of this amazing crowd no?.”

We asked whether he was exhausted from last night’s incredible win over a motivated Jack Sock in three sets.

No way, he replied. “No, I was ready. The most positive thing is my foot was better today than yesterday,
so that’s the best news possible. I played against a player that played well.”

“So that’s the sport. You can’t have mistakes in the key moments, and in the key moments I think in the last game, yeah, I was a little bit more nervous. My serve was not working the proper way. And that’s it. Yes, well done for him. Is a great victory for him. I wish him all the very best.”

—S. Fogleman

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2021 @CitiOpen Women’s Invitational Starts Tonight

Posted by Admin on August 5, 2021
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2021 Citi Open Women’s Invitational Starts Tonight

WASHINGTON-AUGUST 5—Starting tonight, Coco Gauff, Victoria Azarenka and Jessica Pegula will compete in the Citi Open Women’s Invitational, a special, round-robin singles event as part of Citi Open week. Pegula and Gauff were crowned singles and doubles champions, respectively, in the WTA Tour’s 2019 Citi Open.

The inaugural champion will receive $25,000 in prize money. The Women’s Sports Foundation will be the beneficiary of the tournament and will receive a $50,000 donation from the Citi Open, Citi and the Mark and Sally Ein Foundation. 

Coco Gauff

  • WTA No. 25; 2019 Citi Open women’s doubles champion; 5 WTA titles (2 singles, 3 doubles); 2021 French Open quarterfinalist

Victoria Azarenka

  • Current WTA No. 15; Former World No. 1; 30 WTA titles (21 singles, 9 doubles); 2012 and 2013 Australian Open winner; 2012, 2013 and 2020 U.S. Open finalist
Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jessica Pegula

  • 2019 Citi Open women’s singles champion; Current WTA No. 28; 2021 Australian Open quarterfinalist

Schedule:            

Thursday, August 5 (Following tonight’s. match on Stadium Court)

Coco Gauff vs. Victoria Azarenka

Friday, August 6 (Final day session match on Stadium Court)

Victoria Azarenka vs. Jessica Pegula

Saturday August 7 (Following 7 p.m. match on Stadium Court)

Coco Gauff vs. Jessica Pegula

The format is best of 3 sets, regular scoring, with a 10-point super-tiebreak to decide the third. The player with the best record will be crowned the champion. In the event of a tie, the champion will be decided by most sets, or if necessary, most games won.

It’s R16 Thursday at @CitiOpen

Posted by Admin on August 5, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Photo Credit:  Peter Staples/Citi Open, Mike Lawrence/Citi Open, Ryan Loco/Citi Open

It’s R16 Thursday at @CitiOpen

Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

It’s hard to bust through Nadal’s wild opening win in Washington last night, but many other players advanced to the Round of 16 yesterday at the Citi Open and they’re ready for battle today in what is traditionally the best day of this tournament. Eight singles matches will determine the warriors of the weekend with the right to claim an ATP 500 title.

American players are common at American events, and that should surprise no one. In recent years, though, most of them are knocked out in early rounds by higher-ranked international players. This year is different Of the 15 Americans in the draw, seven advanced to the third round – the most at the Citi Open since eight in 1993. You can’t ask for more than that as a local fan. and you still have a chance to see six Americans in the quarterfinals and guaranteed to have one American in there as countrymen Denis Kudla and Brandon Nakashima do battle today for one of those spots. Nakashima is 10-2 since July 19.

Brandon Nakashima (Photo by Peter Staples, Citi Open)

Other opening matches today include Steve Johnson against Ricardas Berankis and Next Gen stars Jannik Sinner taking on Sebastian Korda, who are collectively aged 40 years.

Reilly Opelka

Late afternoon matches feature Kei Nishikori against Cameron Norrie, Reilly Opelka facing off against John Millman, and another Next Gen showdown with a pair of 20-year-olds: #2 seed Felix Auger Aliassime and Jenson Brooksby. Ilya Ivashka and Mackenzie McDonald will fight for a quarterfinal berth in the early evening match before all eyes turn to Stadium Court for Rafael Nadal and Lloyd Harris, the #14 seed.

Locals Play @CitiOpen Tuesday, Nakashima Turns 20, @NickKyrgios Needs Points

Posted by Admin on August 3, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment
Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Locals Play Citi Open Tuesday, Nakashima Turns 20, Kyrgios Needs Points

  • Nick Kyrgios begins his Citi Open title defense against Mackenzie McDonald. Kyrgios needs three wins this week to reach his first ATP Tour quarter-final since the 2019 Citi Open, where he saved a match point against Stefanos Tsitsipas and defeated Daniil Medvedev in two tiebreaks for the title.
  • On Monday, Kyrgios dropped 250 of his 500 points from the 2019 Citi Open and fell to No. 77 – his lowest spot in the FedEx ATP Rankings since he reached the 2014 Wimbledon quarter-finals as a 144th-ranked wild card.
  • Frances Tiafoe, who learned how to play tennis eight miles from the Citi Open, returns to his home event on Tuesday for a second-round match against countryman Jenson Brooksby. Tiafoe, who trained in nearby College Park, Maryland, won a round in singles and doubles for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics last week. 
  • Tiafoe isn’t the only local who will play in front of friends and family on Stadium Court. Denis Kudla, who also trained at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, faces Feliciano Lopez in the first round. Kudla fell to Tiafoe in the Nottingham Challenger final on 13 June after teaming with him twice at the Citi Open.
Denis Kudla, 2019 US Open (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)
  • In another opening-round match, Brandon Nakashima celebrates his 20th birthday against Alexei Popyrin. Nakashima is coming off back-to-back ATP 250 finals at Los Cabos and Atlanta. He became the youngest American to advance to multiple finals since Andy Roddick went 5-2 in finals as a teenager from 2001-02.
  • Nakashima is joined on Grandstand Court by Cameron Norrie, who defeated him in the Los Cabos final on 24 July. Norrie, who meets Marcos Giron in the second round, is tied with Andrey Rublev for third on tour with 36 victories in 2021. Only Tsitsipas (42) and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (38) have more wins this season. —-ATP

Jenson Brooksby Gets Even With Kevin Anderson in @CitiOpen Rematch of Newport Final

Posted by Admin on August 2, 2021
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Jenson Brooksby Gets Even With Kevin Anderson in Citi Open Rematch of Newport Final

Steve Fogleman in Washington

Little more than two weeks ago, Jenson Brooksby found himself in an ATP tour level final and in a first set tiebreak against Kevin Anderson. Though he lost that tiebreak and the Tennis Hall of Fame final, Michael Scott would love to say “My, how the turns have tabled.” Monday at the Citi Open in Washington, Brooksby found himself in a first set tiebreak before winning in straight sets against Newport champion Anderson.

“I was definitely happy with how I ended the first set,” Brooksby said after today’s win. “I mean, obviously two weeks ago in Newport I had a lot of chances I think to break, and also in the tiebreak. Didn’t get it. That was definitely disappointing.”

“But,” he added, “I was up 1-0 in the breaker. I lost focus for multiple points. But I was really proud of myself to be able to get it back and win multiple in a row to get the first set.”

“I kept my foot on the gas pedal, started returning better, got the break. Happy to close it out in straights.”

Other notable closeouts included Ricardas Berankis advancing past Mitch Krueger, 7-6, 6-2, Daniel Galan upsetting Tommy Paul, 6-4, 6-3, and Ilya Ivahska easing past Egor Gerasimov.

While Brooksby was the first American to win at Citi Open, compatriot Marcos Giron also moved on an hour later as he needed three sets to take out plucky qualifier Ilya Marchenko, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Andreas Seppi also earned a comeback win over Yasutaka Uchiyama, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Seppi will do a quick turnaround and prepare to do battle with #2 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime tomorrow on Stadium Court.

2021 @CitiOpen to Honor Heroes of the Pandemic

Posted by Admin on August 2, 2021
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Scientists, Medical Professionals, Teachers, and More To Be Highlighted During 2021 Tournament

Washington D.C. (August 2, 2021) – Citi Open Chairman Mark Ein announced today that the theme of this year’s Citi Open is “Honoring Heroes of the Pandemic.” Throughout the tournament, images of pandemic heroes will be featured around the stadium complex alongside images of tennis greats, and stories will be told daily on social media. Each night before the 7:00 pm coin toss on the stadium court, organizations and individuals that have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to help the region, nation and world will be honored in front of players and the sold-out crowd.

“None of us could be at the Citi Open this year if it were not for the many unsung heroes of the pandemic,” said Citi Open Chairman Mark Ein. “We want to use our platform to recognize the incredible dedication and contributions of the scientists, medical professionals, teachers, and non-profits whose inspiring work saved lives and protected our communities. We hope the nation and the world will join us in celebrating these true heroes.”

Heroes of the Pandemic Honorees:

Tonight/Monday: Rockefeller Foundation and Teachers from Friendship Charter School 
Tuesday: Thanks USA Military Appreciation
Wednesday: Scientists and Researchers from Johns Hopkins University
Thursday: DC Police, Fire, EMS workers, and DC Educators
Friday: World Central Kitchen
Saturday: March of Dimes
Sunday: Doctors and Nurses from Medstar Health

Citi Open fans may follow the tournament’s latest news and activity on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CitiOpen), Twitter and Instagram (@CitiOpen).

Your @CitiOpen First Take: The @RafaelNadal Effect

Posted by Admin on August 1, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , . 1 Comment
Photo: Christopher Levy, @tennis_shots

Your Citi Open First Take: The Rafa Effect

Steve Fogleman in Washington

I’ve been attending the Washington ATP event since the 1990’s, back when it was named the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. I’ve seen fans in awe of Andre Agassi, go loco for Juan Martin Del Potro and get cuckoo for Coco Gauff. None of that prepared me for The Rafa Effect, which swept the Nation’s Capital at the Citi Open in Washington this weekend.

I’ve been to majors and masters events, yet in those environments, the Great One is part of a team of superheroes like Djokovic and Federer and consequently basks in the shared limelight at those locales. DC is different. At once, he has breathed all of the oxygen at this tournament, and during qualifying weekend, that was more than any fan could ask. Nadal returns that oxygen by packing the stands for hardly-known qualifying players who notice more fans than they’ve ever seen at one of their matches.

At his Saturday morning practice, the energy was pronounced. While thousands of fans queued up to see the Spaniard in action, those fans already in the stadium made noise. Those waiting in line acted like they were at a TSA checkpoint and about to miss a flight as Nadal took the court. Fans shouted, “Thank you for coming!’, applauded nearly every point and gave him more than one standing ovation. Although few of the fanaticos got Nadal’s autograph, many left fulfilled with a selfie of a tiny Nadal hitting behind them.

Why Washington? How did we get so lucky?

“When I see the calendar, my goal was to be here in Washington,” he told reporters earlier today. “Here I am. So that’s the main thing for me. An important one. Playing in Washington allow me to be on the tour one week before than what I do usually for this part of the season,” he added, before noting that he believes that skipping Wimbledon was a wise move on his part.

Whatever magic Nadal’s presence conjures up, it feels even more magical here in DC. Even the US Open puts their marquee players on stadium-style courts for practices, but this one felt like family. DC tennis fans have always enjoyed their ATP 500 level tournament, but this was a taste of the big time. It’s something residents of New York or Miami might take for granted since the tennis carnivals come through their towns every year. For Washingtonians, it was a dream come true.

Photo: Christopher Levy, @tennis_shots

I’ve heard the term “The Rafa Effect” thrown around on social media, and I am now able to quantify it. Another tweeted, “Elvis is in town.” And hopefully, we’ve got the King all week. I fully expect the anticipation for Nadal’s Wednesday night match to boil up every day, and I can’t wait to see how his disciples react when he hits a ball in actual match play.

Deep @CincyTennis Qualifying Has Six 2021 Tournament Champions…and One @Sloanestephens

Posted by Admin on July 29, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deep @CincyTennis Qualifying Has Six 2021 Tournament Champions…and One @Sloanestephens

CINCINNATI, Ohio (July 28, 2021) – Six players who have won tour titles this season highlight the qualifying field entrants for the 2021 Western & Southern Open. 

The qualifying tournament occurs during Opening Weekend, presented by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Aug. 14-15. Fifteen players – seven women and eight men – will advance out of the two-round qualifying tournament into the 56-player main draw fields for the Western & Southern Open. 

Four players who have won WTA titles in 2021 highlight the women’s qualifying field, including Sara Sorribes Tormo (Guadalajara), Liudmila Samsonova (Berlin), 18-year-old Leylah Fernandez (Monterrey) and 19-year-old Maria Camila Osorio Serrano (Bogota).

The field also includes Olympic quarterfinalist Camila Giorgi, who is fresh off two singles wins over opponents ranked in the top 15. Former US Open champion and 2017 WTA Comeback Player of the Year Sloane Stephens has also entered the qualifying field. 

Carlos Alcaraz and Sebastian Korda have claimed titles on the ATP tour in 2021, with Alcaraz, 18, winning in Umag and Korda conquering the championship in Parma. The 21-year-old Korda is the son of two-time Western & Southern Open quarterfinalist Petr Korda.
The men’s qualifying field also features players who went deep in previous Western & Southern Opens, including Jan-Lennard Struff (2020 Quarterfinals), Richard Gasquet (2019 Semifinals) and Yoshihito Nishioka (2019 Quarterfinals). 
An additional four players will be awarded wild cards for each qualifying field while an additional three players may join the ATP field through a special exemption. 

Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka have both withdrawn from the ATP main draw entry list due to injuries. Alternates John Millman and Dusan Lajovic will now join the field. 

While the qualifying matches take place over opening weekend, many main draw players will also be on the grounds practicing. The main draw action begins Sunday for the ATP with a full slate of main draw play on top from Monday, Aug. 16. The full schedule is available here.

All tickets, including full series, mini-plans, single session and hospitality packages, are now on sale and information about available tickets can be found here. 

The Western & Southern Open will be held Aug. 14-22, with first serve taking place at 10 a.m. on Aug. 14 for the qualifying tournament. The men’s and women’s singles finals will take place on Sunday, Aug. 22.
The schedule is available here.

The Western & Southern Open, an ATP Masters 1000 and a WTA 1000, is part of the US Open Series and is held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

Tennis Superstar @RafaelNadal to Make @CitiOpen Debut on Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Posted by Admin on July 29, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Tournament to Showcase Nadal Open Practices for Fans on Stadium Court During Qualifying Weekend, Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1

WASHINGTON D.C. (July 29, 2021) — A month short of a 20-year anniversary marking the professional debut of one of tennis’ most decorated and storied champions, Rafael Nadal is set to descend on our nation’s capital this week to make his first Citi Open appearance at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.

The 20-time Grand Slam tournament singles champion and the world’s No. 3-ranked men’s player at present, Nadal arrives on the Citi Open grounds Saturday for practice on Stadium Court during the tournament’s qualifying weekend in preparation for his eagerly anticipated Citi Open debut at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 4 – a second-round match following a first-round bye. The Citi Open’s full singles draw will be released on Friday.

Nadal, 35, accepted a wild-card entry into the 2021 Citi Open and seeks to earn a career milestone – his 100th ATP Tour title – in Washington D.C. With 88 singles and 11 doubles titles to his iconic name, Nadal’s early Citi Open practice sessions will be on Stadium Court and open to fans.  They are scheduled for:

  • Saturday July 31: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The practices are open to ticket holders for the Citi Open’s qualifying weekend and fans are welcome to watch from their Stadium seats. Gates open at 10 a.m. both days and Nadal’s practice schedule is subject to change.

As tickets for all of the Citi Open week are close to sold out, those interested in securing remaining available tickets can use the following link:

https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/16365/citi-open-tennis-tournament-rock-creek-park-tennis-center

“We are thrilled that the top players in the world, like Rafael Nadal, are choosing to play the Citi Open,” said Citi Open Chairman Mark Ein. “We are gaining a reputation for having some of the best fans in tennis and delivering a world class experience for players in the nation’s capital. Having a player like Rafa competing in Washington continues to solidify the Citi Open’s place as one of America’s classic Summer sports events.

“The interest from our community and fans to see Rafa in person has been overwhelming, so we are thrilled to provide a rare opportunity to witness his legendary preparation in a series of open practices on our Stadium Court this weekend. This will provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a large number of additional fans that bought tickets to the qualifying rounds to see one of tennis’ all-time greats up close.” 

Nadal’s maiden voyage at the Citi Open will mark Nadal’s first ATP event since reaching the semifinals of the French Open at Roland Garros, and it will be his seventh ATP tournament of 2021. The Spaniard won his 87th and 88th ATP singles titles at Barcelona in April and Rome (ATP Masters 1000) in May.

The Citi Open also represents the first tournament in Nadal’s run-up to the US Open, which he has won four times (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019). A fifth US Open title in September would elevate Nadal to the top of the list of all-time Grand Slam singles championships, breaking the tie he currently holds with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Nadal’s seemingly endless list of championship moments includes an all-time record 13 French Open titles (2005-08, 2010-14, 2017-2020), two Wimbledon titles (2008, 2010), one Australian Open title (2009), two Olympic Gold Medals (singles in 2008, doubles in 2016) and five Davis Cup victories with Spain.

Citi Open fans may follow the tournament’s latest news and activity on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CitiOpen), Twitter and Instagram (@CitiOpen).

—S. Pratt