By Chris Oddo | Tuesday August 1, 2017

 

Nestled in a leafy corner of a suburban oasis, the Citi Open is a sneaky good venue for the tennis fan who likes it low-key.

Photo Source: Matt Hazlett/Getty

With four former champions and eight Top 20 players this year’s Citi Open men’s singles draw is one of the more loaded draws the event has seen in recent years. Set in a leafy Washington D.C. suburb, the tournament is one of tennis’ hidden gems and functions as a critical stepping stone to the next-level ATP Masters and WTA Premier events that begin next week in Canada.

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The heat can be oppressive, and the venue is dilapidated, but there is more than enough local charm at this event to make up for a lack of a newish stadium or a stiff breeze.

And the crowds—or lack thereof—can’t be beat.

Used to getting pushed aside while trying to watch a star player practice at Indian Wells? On Monday we watched Alexander Zverev and Gael Monfils practice with an intimate gathering of about 20 other tennis addicts.

Not bad at all.

On Tuesday Simona Halep, Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem, Kei Nishikori and Monica Puig are just a few of the names set to take center stage in what has become one of the premier US Open events in the last few years.

Del Potro a three-time champion, used the event as a springboard in 2009, when he won the title here and a month later defeated Roger Federer for his lone Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

“I love to play this tournament because the quality of the tournament is great,” del Potro, said on Monday. “The high level of the players make a very important tournament on tour.”

He added: “I like to play here. I feel like home. I always play good in tennis in the United States, so this tournament is special to me.”

The women’s tournament is an international-level event, meaning that it awards less prize money and rankings points, and that’s one of the reasons that Simona Halep is a reluctant participant this year.



“It’s great to be here for first time,” Halep told Kelyn Soong of the Washington Post. “I asked for a wild card because I didn’t enter—I was late—so I asked for a wild card to Washington and Stanford at the same time. Stanford said no, Washington said yes.”

Top-seeded Halep is joined by No.2-seeded Kristina Mladenovic, Genie Bouchard, Ekaterina Makarova and Andrea Petkovic in a women’s field that keeps getting better, year over year. There are eight Top-60 players in the draw in total.

It should make for a compelling week of tennis on both the men’s and women’s side. There is more intrigue on the men’s side, with proven veterans Del Potro and Nishikori facing the challenge of keeping rising youngsters Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev at bay, but the women’s draw has their jewel in Halep and a host of others angling to knock her off, including Halep’s first-round opponent, Sloane Stephens.

The 24-year-old is a former World No.11 who is barely inside the Top 1,000 after a prolonged absence due to foot surgery. Will she be able to challenge Halep on Tuesday on what is sure to be another hot, muggy day in the nation’s capital?

Maybe. As many might know, there aren’t a lot of guarantees in women’s tennis these days. A surer bet is that a good time will be had by all at this year’s Citi Open. Washington D.C. is known for its politics, its monuments and its cherry blossoms. After spending a few days at this tournament, which is nestled neatly in a corner of the large urban oasis (designed by Frederik Law Olmsted Jr.) known as Rock Creek Park, we’re happy to say that tennis should be added to the list of noteworthy offerings.