By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Thursday, June 1, 2023
The long-running tennis tournament in Washington, D.C. announced a new sponsor and a new format in time for its 54th edition starting on July 29.
Tournament organizers revealed the newly-named Mubadala Citi DC Open will take place starting on July 29th.
The new event will be the first and only combined ATP and WTA 500 event on the calendar.
The event combines last year’s San Jose WTA 250 event and the ATP/WTA event in Washington D.C. ATP players have competed in D.C. since the tournament’s beginning in 1969. The WTA tour joined the event in 2012, albeit in a different tier designation. Now both ATP and WTA events will be at the same 500 level.
“Since we took over the Citi Open in 2019, one of our top goals was to secure the long-term rights to host an equal level WTA 500 event in combination with our historic ATP 500 event that is beloved by our community and that has been a highlight of summers in Washington for 53 years. We are thrilled to now make that a reality and are deeply grateful to Mubadala and Citi for this unique and impactful partnership,” said Mark Ein, Mubadala Citi DC Open’s Chairman. “Being able to showcase men and women at the same highest-level events is one of the things that makes tennis so special, and this move solidifies the Mubadala Citi DC Open as one of the premiere professional tennis tournaments in the world.”
“We’d like to thank the Bay area for over 50 years of support, enthusiasm and passion. We’ve loved bringing the best in women’s tennis to your doorstep year after year,” stated Josh Ripple, SVP of Tennis Events at IMG, the owner and operator of the WTA 500 event. “While we’re sad to go, we are also very excited about this new chapter in the event’s history as the only 500-level combined event on the tours in the U.S. We hope that by bringing this event to D.C. we can start new traditions and bring that same passion for women’s tennis we saw in San Jose to the capital.”
Steve Simon, WTA Chairman & CEO said: “The Bay Area has played host to so many unforgettable moments at one of the Hologic WTA Tour’s longest-running tournaments. The legacy of this much-loved event will live on in its new home, in Washington D.C., where I am excited to see WTA and ATP stars competing together for the first time at the 500 level, creating new memories for many more years to come.”
The new event still must be approved by the ATP Board.
Season tickets for the 2023 Mubadala Citi DC Open are already on sale.
Photo Credit: Rich Kessler/Citi Open