From our friends at the Citi Open...
The 2014 Citi Open® Tournament will feature a packed roster of events for tennis enthusiasts of all ages. The events, all held at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, 16th & Kennedy Streets NW in Rock Creek Park, offer unique opportunities for adult and youth tennis players and fans, including tennis clinics by ATP and WTA tennis pros, a mini-tennis tournament for junior players, a film screening, and discounts on tickets for U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) members. The Citi Open starts Saturday, July 26, and concludes with the men’s and women’s finals on Monday, Aug. 3.
Three of the top 10 in the ATP World Tour are set to play in the Nation’s Capital Tennis Tradition: Tomas Berdych (No. 5) of the Czech Republic, Canada’s Milos Raonic (No. 6) and Grigor Dimitrov (No. 9) of Bulgaria. The superb men’s field also includes players just outside of the top 10 - Japan’s top player, Kei Nishikori (No. 11); top American and 2013 Citi Open runner-up John Isner (No. 12); and top French player Richard Gasquet (No. 14). Kevin Anderson (No. 17), Gael Monfils (No. 23) and Feliciano Lopez (No. 25) round out the men’s singles field in the top 25. On the women’s side, Sloane Stephens (No. 22) will play in the main draw. The doubles field will be headlined by world No. 1-ranked team Bob and Mike Bryan, along with Wimbledon champions Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock.
USTA Member Appreciation Day: Monday, July 28
On July 28, USTA members receive 10 percent off tickets purchased at the box office with a USTA member ID card. Members also receive 25 percent off single-session reserved tickets throughout the tournament when they purchase them through Ticketmaster using the promotional code in the USTA Mid-Atlantic newsletter. Before the start of the tournament, USTA members can receive a special online promotional offer of 10 percent off reserved-seat tickets for sessions 3 (July 28) and 7 (Aug. 1). Get more information here.
“Queens at Court” Documentary Screening: Monday, July 28
The documentary film “Queens at Court,” featuring the stories of struggle and success of four lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) amateur tennis players on and off the court, will be screened on Monday, July 28, at the Citi Open Tournament Courtside Hospitality Tent. The event, which includes a cocktail reception and a Q&A session with the film’s director, Shiv Paul, begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets click here.
Junior Tennis Clinic: Tuesday, July 29
Wayne Bryan, the renowned coach and father of the world’s No. 1-ranked men’s doubles players, Bob and Mike Bryan, will hold a tennis clinic for junior players ages 12 and older on Tuesday, July 29, before the day’s Citi Open Tournament matches begin. A $35 ticket includes one hour of instruction by Bryan, appearances by ATP and WTA tennis pros, an official 2014 Citi Open Tournament poster and a reserved-seat ticket to Session 4 of the tournament. Clinic registration begins at noon, and the clinic runs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Session 4 starts at 2 p.m. Register for the clinic here.
Ladies Clinic: Wednesday, July 30
This year’s Ladies Clinic will feature a morning tennis clinic led by Blue Chip Tennis Academy tennis professionals on the clay courts at the FitzGerald Tennis Center from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets, which can be purchased here, are $75 and include access to the Citi Open Tournament Courtside Hospitality Tent, as well as a lower-level reserved-seat ticket to that day’s matches (Session 5) beginning at 2 p.m.
USTA Coaches Workshop: Friday, Aug. 1
Tennis players ages 10 and younger are invited to participate in a USTA Coaches Workshop taught by nationally trained workshop leaders. The event will take place on the clay courts at the FitzGerald Tennis Center from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Each $25 ticket, which can be purchased here, includes lunch in the Citi OpenTournament Courtside Hospitality Tent following the workshop as well as a reserved-seat ticket to that day’s matches (Session 7).
Stars of Tomorrow Competition: Friday, Aug. 1 – Sunday, Aug. 3
Ten tennis teams with players ages 9 to 12 from the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation will take part in their own mini-tournament during the final weekend of the 2014 Citi Open Tournament. Rising tennis stars will compete on the clay and practice courts at the FitzGerald Tennis Center. Trophies will be awarded to the winning teams.
The Citi Open Tournament is part of the prestigious Emirates Airline US Open Series, the summer tennis season that links eight North American hard-court tournaments to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. The men’s tournament is one of only 11 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide, making it one of the top 20 tournaments in the world, and the only one held in the United States. It also features a WTA International Tournament, one of only two in the United States. The tournament’s owner and beneficiary, the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), provides underserved children in the D.C. area with a safe environment to learn critical life skills both on and off the court through academic and athletic enrichment.
For more information, visit the Citi Open Tournament on the Web at www.citiopentennis.com. Citi Open is a Lagardere Unlimited production. Citi Open is a registered service mark of Citigroup Inc.
