First Round Action Kicks Off 2022 Citi Open Main Draw Play
Steve Fogleman in Washington
Andy Murray graced this city with his presence but bowed out in the first round of the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. on Monday night, falling to Sweden’s Michael Ymer in three sets.
“Yeah, it was disappointing obviously,” he said after the loss. “I thought there was some good tennis in the first set. After that both of us were struggling a bit physically. The level of the tennis was not great but, yeah, obviously had chances in the first set to close that out. I had set point in 6-5, then two in the tiebreaker, two or three in the tiebreaker, and didn’t get it. Frustrating.”
Murray opined that the only positive of the early loss was more time to practice before heading to Canada later in the week.
Earlier in the day, former world #1 Simona Halep faced little resistance from Spain’s Cristina Busca in the first set but went into a bit of a tailspin in the second before securing the victory.
“Yeah, my energy dropped (in the second set)” she said. “I’m not used. I didn’t play the last months in this heat. It’s always tricky to start the tournament. Now I know. I got used to the conditions better.”
She concluded, “First round is difficult. But it’s good that I finish in two sets.”
She should know. The last time she played here was in 2017, when she wilted in the heat on her way to retirement.
Top-ranked American Jessica Pegula was fully prepared for 2019 Citi Open upset specialist and local player Hailey Baptiste. Baptiste beat Madison Keys in the first round of the 2019 event here and Pegula was not looking past her.
I am a sucker for cliches like “epic comeback”, but Daria Saville’s match against qualifier Mirjam Bjorklund was one for the tournament. After losing the first set 6-3, she clawed back to win the next two sets and the match, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) after 3 hours and 9 minutes. The 10th game of the third set went on for 15 minutes and Bjorklund’s level of play never dropped. Saville, nee Gavrilova, will need the two day rest to face top American Pegula in the round of 16.
Kyle Edmund is back, mate! The 2020 New York Open champion (right as the coronavirus was attacking New York City for the first time) won his first match in almost 20 months today after injuries sidelined him from the tour. Edmund indicated that he was not at his best, but it’s good to see him back on court and I’m interested in how he’ll fare against countryman Daniel Evans tomorrow night.
British and Americans Headline a Magical Monday at Citi Open
Steve Fogleman in Washington
Main draw action is about to get underway at the Citi Open in Washington today. British compatriots Kyle Edmund, Jack Draper, Harriet Dart and Andy Murray look to successfully start the British campaign on the Nation’s Capital in singles, while Emma Raducanu will start with a doubles match.
It’s the U.S. Open Series, so you come to expect a lot of Americans in these events and you won’t be disappointed today. American #1 Jessica Pegula plays local talent Hailey Baptiste today. Baptiste shocked the tournament when she beat Madison Keys in the first round here in 2019 and we’ll see what surprises she has in store for us today.
More local talent is featured with Denis Kudla of nearby Arlington, Virginia as he squares off against Michael Mmoh, who was also born and raised in the neighboring Maryland suburbs.
And Venus Wiliams will be your American nightcap as she steps on Stadium court after 7:00 p.m. to face Canadian Rebecca Marino.
If al of that wasn’t enough for you, then how about a matinee match for former world #1 Simona Halep in action against Cristina Bucsa?
It’s summer tennis in the Mid-Atlantic and the matchups are about as good as it gets. I call Citi Open a “375”, because it’s an ATP 500 and a WTA 250. This opening day of this “375” feels like a Master’s event to me–or at least a Master’s opening day from 2018.
Victoria Azarenka, Kei Nishikori, Jessica Pegula, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur and Eugenie Bouchard join Citi Open’s growing player field Victoria Azarenka, Kei Nishikori, Jessica Pegula, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur and Eugenie Bouchard join Citi Open’s growing player field
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The world’s best men’s and women’s tennis players will compete in Washington D.C. July 30 – August 7 at the Citi Open®. New player field additions include two-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 player Victoria Azarenka, World No. 9 and 2019 Citi Open champion Jessica Pegula, 2014 Wimbledon finalist and 2017 Citi Open doubles finalist Eugenie Bouchard, 2015 Citi Open champion Kei Nishikori, two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov and 2018 Citi Open finalist Alex de Minaur.
The tournament’s growing player field now includes four Grand Slam champions, four Citi Open champions and seven current top 20 players.
The new player commitments join 2019 Citi Open champion Nick Kyrgios, D.C. native Frances Tiafoe, World No. 8 Andrey Rublev, 2022 Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz, World No. 18 Reilly Opelka, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, 2015 Citi Open and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the D.C. field, with more player announcements coming soon.
I’ve been attending this event for years and Kei Nishikori attracted the attention of more fans than any other player in Washington. Except last year, when all eyes were on the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, in his D.C. debut.
“We are thrilled about the incredibly strong and deep field of men’s and women’s players we are building for the 2022 Citi Open, including so many Grand Slam champions, former Citi Open champions and fan favorites,” said Mark Ein, Citi Open Chairman. “With even more player commitments on the near horizon, it will be another unforgettable week of tennis in the nation’s capital for our fans in person and those watching around the world.”
New Citi Open ATP player field additions:
Kei Nishikori (WC), 2015 Citi Open Champion: Nishikori is the top Asian men’s tennis player in history. He holds 12 career ATP titles and is the 2015 Citi Open champion, where he has acquired an 18-7 record. Along with his title in D.C., the Japanese player has also reached the tournament’s quarterfinal round and semifinal round twice, respectively. He is a Grand Slam finalist, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist and a nine-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist. In 2021, he reached the semifinals in D.C. and the quarterfinals in Dubai, Rotterdam and at The Olympics.
Grigor Dimitrov, World No. 21: Dimitrov holds eight career titles and a career-high ranking of World No. 3. The fan favorite Bulgarian will play the Citi Open for the seventh time this year, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2013. This season, he had semifinal berths in Monte Carlo and Melbourne and quarterfinal appearances in Indian Wells and Delray Beach. Dimitrov has also reached two Grand Slam semifinals and three Grand Slam quarterfinals.
Alex de Minaur, 2018 Citi Open Finalist & World No. 24: de Minaur will compete at the Citi Open for the fourth time in 2022. He reached the D.C. final in 2018. The Australian has captured five ATP titles, including two in 2021 in Eastbourne and Antalya. So far this season, he has reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, quarterfinals in Rotterdam and semifinals in Lyon and Barcelona. He was also a quarterfinalist at the 2020 US Open.
New Citi Open WTA player field additions:
Victoria Azarenka, 2-time Grand Slam Champion, Former World No.1 & Current World No. 20:Former World No. 1 Azarenka will make her Citi Open debut in 2022. She holds 21 career WTA singles titles and is a two-time Australian Open champion, winning the Grand Slam in 2012 and 2013. She has also played the US Open final three times and has reached the semifinals of both Wimbledon and Roland-Garros. This season, she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals in Adelaide. Her 2021 season included a finals run in Indian Wells, semifinal appearances in Berlin and Doha and quarterfinal matches in Montreal and Bad Homburg.
Jessica Pegula, 2019 Citi Open Champion & World No. 9: Top 10 player Pegula won her maiden WTA singles title at the 2019 Citi Open. She reached the tournament’s semifinals in 2016 and was also victorious in Washington in 2021, when she was named the Citi Open Women’s Invitational champion. The American has had a strong 2022 season, including a back-to-back Australian Open quarterfinals appearance, a second Grand Slam quarterfinal in Roland-Garros, a finals berth in Madrid and semifinals appearance in Miami.
Eugenie Bouchard (WC), 2014 Wimbledon Finalist: Bouchard is returning to tennis this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2021. The Canadian has a career-high ranking of World No. 5 and is a Grand Slam finalist and two-time Grand Slam semifinalist. In 2021, she was a finalist in Guadalajara. This will be her seventh time playing the Citi Open, where she reached the singles quarterfinal in 2012 and the doubles final with partner Sloane Stephens in 2017.
The Citi Open is one of only five combined tennis tournaments in the country, featuring professional competition from both men and women. Citi Open’s ATP 500 event will showcase 48 singles players and 16 doubles teams. Its revived WTA 250 event will celebrate its 10th edition in 2022 with a player field featuring 32 singles competitors and 16 doubles teams. The tournament will continue to announce players and updates in the coming weeks.
In April 2019, MDE Sports, owned and led by Washington-based venture capitalist, entrepreneur and civic leader Ein, acquired the management rights of the Citi Open tournament from the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), a non-profit which provides free tennis and educational programs for children in underserved communities. This acquisition secured the Citi Open’s future in the U.S. and specifically in Washington.
For more than 50 years, the Citi Open has hosted top tennis talent in Rock Creek Park. The tournament was founded to support Arthur Ashe’s vision of playing a professional tennis tournament in a fully accessible public park. The Citi Open has continued to build and expand the event, with the goal of positively impacting the Washington community and creating one of the best events in the world. The WTEF, a longtime beneficiary of the Citi Open, capitalizes on the tournament annually for fundraising and has raised millions for youth programs in the Washington area.
Last year’s tournament was the most successful in the event’s history, shattering previous attendance records and selling out all sessions throughout the week. Full tournament packages and single session tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via citiopentennis.com or by calling (202) 721-9500. To learn more about the tournament, ticket options, player fields, event policies and more, visit citiopentennis.com.
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