50 years of Citi Open Tennis & Best memories

Capital Tennis in Washington DC (1968 - 2019)

Update:
Citi Open 500 rejoins the Emirates US Open Series this year under new management!

The Mark Eins team organization will be taking over this year. Did you know Mark was actually a ball boy here at this tournament once upon a time?

An amazing upgrade this year at the event. The food court indoor plaza (with AC!) was incredible along with all the polished details to keep this historic event growing in DC for another 50 years.

July 27 - Aug 4, 2019.

DC capital tennis always represents great Men and Women professionals during the hard court season.
For fans in the mid-Atlantic area, this tournament can't be beaten.

50 years of Open Era Tennis.

The author of this article, Nik, is one of the biggest tennis fans and a legend of DC/VA Tennis. He was the one that first introduced me to it when it was called the "Legg Mason Classic" over a decade ago and shared amazing tips (best viewing seats and where to park) plus some of the most unexpected stories of the game and its players.

Photos from Citi Open
Over the years 2006-2019

Citi Open - JC Tennis & Tennis Bargains Media Team

Written by Nik Subramanian

The 2018 Citi Open Tennis tournament in Washington DC starts on July 28. This will be the 50th edition, and the Players Lounge kicks off the event with food, drinks, and music on Fri July 27 at 7.30pm

The latest finish JC and I witnessed was a 2:45AM finish with Dmitry Tursunov in ‘06
after which he gladly obliged fans (including us) with a chit chat and pictures. 

2018 Citi Open - Preview Highlights

Top ATP players at this year’s event include former number one Andy Murray, 3-time slam winner Stan Wawrinka, US Open, Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson and Wimbledon semi-finalist John Isner. Top WTA players including world number two Caroline Wozniacki and Sloane Stephenson (ranked # 3) will headline the women's draw.

Look out for next-generation stars like Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, Hyeon Chung, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Naomi Osaka, and local lad Frances Tiafoe.

Shapovalov, Chung, Tsitsipas, and Rublev have a “future top 10” ranking written all over them. While one should expect Kyrgios might disappoint, depending on which way the wind is blowing when he’s scheduled to play, he has an entertaining and explosive game, and if he’s drawn to face someone that he perceives as a challenge, it will be an entertaining match.

Looking Back 15 Years at Rock Creek Tennis in DC

Nik and Safin, 2006 Edition, Photo by JC
Cropped photo now lives on the official Marat Safin Wikipedia page

Brad Gilbert coached Andy Murray in 2006 at Legg Mason, photo by JC
Featured on Brad Gilbert's Wikipedia Page

I’ve attended the Citi Open every year since 2004, for the last 15 years. The first year was devoid of “stars” due to the conflicting Athens Olympics but was memorable nevertheless, as watching any tennis pro in the top 500 is a great learning experience. Still that year, we had Mark Philippoussis, Jonas Bjorkman, Alex Corretja, and a bunch of players only seen on television up until that point.

One of the highlights of the 2005 tournament for me was seeing an idol, Andre Agassi, up-close. The intensity of Andre’s practice session combined with the pace and accuracy of his groundstrokes was awe-inspiring.

Watching Agassi practice with Andy Murray in 2006 was another great highlight. Murray’s ability to absorb and redirect all the pace from Andre’s groundstrokes was a precursor of Murray’s success to come.

Citi Open Discount Tickets + Tips + Citi Swag Review

Welcome back - Professional Tennis to Washington DC!

This year brings back a host of powerhouse pros, including many top ATP men and WTA women players, under one tournament!

Special Events and Discount Days during the week:

• 7/27 - 50th Anniversary Kick-Off Day - Special Guests and Former Champions
• 7/28 - Family and Free Kids Day - free clinics and tickets for kids under 10 
• 7/29 - Military and Heroes Day - Up to 4 Free Tickets plus free clinic
• 7/30 - Taste of Tennis @ Hamilton Live

Citi Open Photo Gallery of Past Years

Citi Open - JC Tennis / Tennis Bargains Media Team

Sign up here for Citi Open promo codes

Top Citi Open Booths - stop by these for the best free swag

• KIND Bars - Their bars are yummy!! Raspberry and the Dark Coco are my favs
• Arlington YMCA Tennis & Squash (I won pair of Finals Tickets + Free Court time!)
• Citi Bank booths + suite (Free ear radio starting Tues + fast serve contest)
• Geico (an important Gecko Fan, to keep cool and shade!)
• USTA Mid-Atlantic (hats and freebies) 

Media HD Photos from last year and our team coverage continue all week with live updates!

Top tennis stars in Washington DC at 2015 Citi Open

Capital Tennis action comes back to DC for 1 week only

Written and Edited by Tennis-Bargains.com Staff (Nik and JC):

After a placid June, DC summer temperatures are steadily rising again for the 2015 Citi Open in the heart of DC. The US tennis hard court season gets ready to roll next weekend, beginning on Saturday Aug. 1 at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Get your tickets at Citi Open with this 25% USTA promo code

Media: Highlight Videos | HD Photos

The 2015 ATP men’s draw has three former US Open winners: Andy Murray, Marin Cilic and Lleyton Hewitt.

Andy has been playing his past tennis since the start of the year, with excellent showings at all the grand slams (Finals of the Australian, Semis at the French, Semis at Wimbledon) plus a stellar clay court season.

US Open fans:
Subscribe here for 2-for-1 ticket promo codes and alerts

A fresh and rejuvenated Murray is our pick to win this year. Marin Cilic has made a steady comeback from elbow and shoulder problems since his US Open triumph last year. After his Wimbledon QF loss to Djokovic, he believes he is peaking at the right time for the summer hard court season again.

Grigor Dimitrov (aka Baby Fed and Sharapova's bf), after a split with coach Roger Rasheed will be looking to make amends. While coach Rasheed was instrumental in getting Grigor’s fitness levels to tour-worthy levels, Dimitrov probably feels like he needs more match-specific strategy to make that elusive deep run for an ATP 1000 or Grand Slam title. Dimitrov is a treat to watch when he’s playing well; definitely a fan favorite at the Citi Open.

The Big Men

Ivo Karlovic is in the form of his 36-year-old life. Recently predicted via Twitter that he thinks he can play until 40 with the way he’s serving. Ivo’s also barely short of 400 aces from stealing the all-time ATP aces record off of his buddy Goran Ivanisevic. Ivo’s doppelganger is another super-tall server, John Isner, the top American seed in the draw and John’s always a title contender in any tournament he enters.

American Pride

Fellow Americans Jack Sock and Steve Johnson will also be at hand - Jack recently made waves when his forehand was measured to produce more RPMs i.e. rotation on his topspin than Rafa Nadal’s, Jack took a set of Nadal on route to a 3R loss French Open but only after topping Grigor Dimitrov in Round 2. He also won the US Clay court championships earlier this year. Lots of potential for Jack, if he's firing on all cylinders.

Next Wave of Young Tennis Prodigies

There’s also a strong contingent of up and comers in the draw - 19-year-old Thanassi Kokkinakis isn’t the main Australian player making headlines yet (20-year-old Nick Krygios gets that honor) and Bernard Tomic at 22 seems almost like the veteran of the lot.


Also up and coming is the young 18-year-old German 6’ 6” tall Alexander Zverev - he’s been under the gun for being too intense and some tour players including Fernando Verdasco recently questioned his on-court tennis etiquette and behavior but Alex says it all only to fire himself up.

Asian Stars on the rise

Kei Nishikori will make another appearance as the Top 5 Ranked Men's player in the world. Look for amazing backhands and flawless footwork from this guy. Hopefully, Coach Michael Chang will also be here to support his young pupil.

Hyeon Chung from South Korea is another young Asian prospect (#79 in the world) who’s been posting great results on the Challenger tour. At the Miami Open in March, I watched him take a set off Tomas Berdych. He's a very steady baseline player with some impressive shot selection maturity well beyond his years.

Strongest Women's Field in DC ever

The women’s draw this year features the strongest WTA draw we’ve seen in the city (pun). Led by Sam Stosur, Sloane Stephens, Belinda Bencic, and Svetlana Kuznetsova - there is a lot of powerhouse women players coming back to DC this year.

While all 3 of them are in somewhat a slump lately, hard courts are their best surface so they’ll be looking to kick into high gear. Sloane Stephens leads the American charge. While she hasn’t played her best tennis her in the past, she’s a fan favorite here in DC so look for her to have a strong run in the tournament.

Other American Women include Madison Brengle (with her success on the WTT Washington Kastles team), plus Coco Vandeweghe and Christina McHale returning to DC again.

Citi Open Photo Archives: 2014 | 2013

Citi Open in DC - a new fan's perspective

by: Jeamine Yoo (guest blogger and WTA consultant / DC tennis fan)

The Citi Opens

Shuttleloads of excited tennis fans were deposited outside William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center grounds Saturday morning, myself included. Today was the first day of the Citi Open and my first foray into viewing professional tennis and anticipation was high.

History of DC's Pro Tennis Tournament

The Citi Open is one of 12 ATP (Association of Tennis Players) World and WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Tour tournaments leading up to the US Open in New York. Players win points according to their results in each of the tournaments, with more points given to ATP World Masters 1000 and WTA Premier events. The Citi Open is a part of the ATP World Tour 500 series and on the third tier of the tournament, after the US Open and ATP World Masters 1000. It has gone through several changes since its inception in 1969 when it was called the Washington Star International - then more recently the Legg Mason Classic. The main update being men’s and women’s events merging to a joint tournament in 2012. 

Experiencing Summer Tennis at Rock Creek Park

The games today and tomorrow were and will be the qualifying rounds where 20 men compete for 6 spots in the main draw; and 16 women compete for 4 spots, including one woman that’s garnered my admiration, young up-and-comer, Taylor Townsend.

The qualifying games were quick—the best of three sets clinched the win. Men’s games were earlier in the day, followed by ladies’ matches, and the evening closed with doubles play.

The setup of the games was pleasantly accessible to viewers. The periphery courts—Grandstands 1 & 2, Courts 1 & 2, and the player practice courts—allowed spectators to come intimately close to the games and players, allowing tennis enthusiasts unrivaled views of the players’ choice of strokes and strategy.

As a recreational tennis player, I appreciated the close views and enjoyed the opportunity to wander from game to game in order to soak up the entire event holistically.

In addition to the accessible games, the community and family-oriented feel of the park was due in part to the distribution of 3,000 complimentary tickets, as well as the tennis clinics held for children and the multitude of colorful vendors handing out their wares and product information. The Citi Open is great at attracting varying levels of tennis fans by hosting special events throughout the tournament, whether it’s a Grand Marnier sponsored Happy Hour or a women’s tennis clinic, there are many activities to participate in between matches.

Friendly Venue for even casual sport fans

For all out there who haven’t attended or have been hesitant to go, try something new! Tickets are still on sale and can be purchased here. The matches are guaranteed to be exciting; pro players can be found strolling throughout the park and are friendly and engaging to fans.

A few tips for first-time visitors:

• Parking on the field ($10) is limited, so metro into Van Ness and take the shuttle—it’s seamless, convenient, and runs about every 15 minutes.
• Once inside, find the info booth and acquire a map of the venue
• Acquaint yourself with the day's Schedule of Play so you can plan your outing according to your player preferences.
• Do float around and soak it all in!
• Remember to bring and liberally apply sunscreen as most courts have no shade.

Stay tuned for highlights and predictions, but first, go buy your tickets!

Why you need to visit DC's Citi Open (Sept 26 - Aug 3)

Washington DC's Citi Open - 2014 US Open Series

by: Nik Subramanian (guest blogger and ATP consultant/expert)

It’s hard to believe we are halfway through the summer already and just 6 weeks away from the US Open in NYC. The good news is that the last week of July in Washington, D.C. means great professional tennis action at the Citi Open in Rock Creek Park.

The players’ list is packed with young and upcoming talent like Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov, Vasek Pospisil, Genie Bouchard, and others. So let’s dive right into the players you'll want to watch this year.

The Citi Open promises a lot of great matches with the top ATP players competing for the prize. If you haven't done so, grab your tickets, we'll see you there.

TIP: Use Promo Code: TENNISBARGAIN and get 25% OFF (valid for most sessions)

The Next Generation of Stars: 3 ATP Young Guns to Watch

The three guys who most agree represent the next generation of top 5 tennis players are all in the Citi Open this year. Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic, and Grigor Dimitrov have each had breakthroughs in 2014.

Kei Nishikori (Japan)
Kei Nishikori reached a career high ranking of 9 at the end of last year. Despite some injury worries, I expect he'll finish the year in the top 10 if he stays healthy. Kei is speedy, has amazing groundstrokes, a great return, and is fun to watch. He's as no-nonsense on the court as they come and Coach Michael Chang has been trying to pass on his killer instinct and set higher goals for Kei this year. If he ends up playing on one of the side courts, be sure to watch Kei’s nimble footwork together with his amazing balance and core strength. It’s not as easy as he makes it look!

Milos Raonic (Canada)
Despite an ankle injury early in the year, Milos reached a career high ranking of number 6 in the world and is currently ranked 7. He's put up solid results in the Slams and Masters 1000's - his first Grand Slam QF at Roland Garros (l. to Djokovic), a first Grand Slam semi at Wimbledon, (l. to Federer), QFs in Indian Wells, Rome, and SFs in Monte Carlo. The consensus in the locker room is that Milos has the best serve on tour right now. While I doubt we'll see Milos attempt his 155mph serve, watch him with a seat behind the player's baseline to admire the variety of his serves (slice, kicker, flat) with pretty much the same ball toss. The weakest part of his game right now is his return, so look for that shot to improve as he works out the kinks with Coach Ivan Ljubicic.

Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
If you hear a bunch of screaming, hysteric teenage girls around the practice courts, you've probably stumbled onto one of Grigor Dimitrov's practice sessions. Grigor was already somewhat of a celebrity in 2013, but after teaming up with his super coach, Roger Rasheed, last year, Grigor is fitter, stronger, and extremely motivated to get to the top of men's tennis. Grigor's always had the talent to burn, but he's found a way to channel it and I expect he's going to have a great 2014. He's just broken into the top 10 this month, following an SF showing at Wimbledon (l. to Djokovic in 4 close sets), QFs at the Australian (l. to Nadal in 4 close sets) and has a won a title on all three surfaces in 2014. I'd be shocked if Grigor does not make it to the year-end finals this year and be part of or finish near the top 5. Watch Dimitrov from any seat in the stadium, look out for his precise first serve and his use of speed offensively to win points. You’ll find Grigor is an all-around crowd charmer and will throw in a trick shot and a tweener every now and then.

Early Predictions and Dark Horses

Citi Open 2013 HD Pictures

Citi Open 2013 Media, a set on Flickr.

Citi Open 2013 Media, a set on Flickr.
Washington, DC - ATP 500/WTA combo event; Tennis-Bargains Senior Photographer, Mikhail Bezruchko mikhailbezruchko.zenfolio.com/ - FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/mikhailbezruchkophotography

On assignment for www.Tennis-Bargains.com
Copyright Tennis-Bargains.com.
All rights reserved.

Citi Open: Round of 16 Wed/Thurs Preview

Wednesday Preview

Tuesday was a fun filled night, see clips of the action here. If you get to the tournament site in the early afternoon, head over straight to Court 1 where Radek Stepanek takes on Michael Llodra. These are two of a dying breed - serve and volleyers (what's that you ask?). Right next door on Court 2, take a peek at the doubles action with former UVA alum Treat Huey and the booming serve of 6 ft 5, Domnic Inglot.

Rain Delays
Wednesday was only a half day because of the rainouts - therefore the play is "stacked" for extra action on Thursday. Check out this article on how to deal with rain delays at tennis events, and how to get a good deal from it!

Thursday Double-Headers

Thursday promises to be another action packed day with top seeds Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, Tommy Haas and John Isner all taking the court. They may possibly have to play double-headers (back to back matches). Let's look at some of the best matches and courts to check out today.

First up is Juan Martin Del Potro taking on Ryan Harrison. This is JMDP's first match after his incredible Wimbledon semi so expect some early rust, while Harrison is confident after a straight set victory over former US Open champ Lleyton Hewitt yesterday. There should plenty of entertainment in this one.



Tommy Haas will be action on Center court taking on Tim Smyczek to finish their 3rd set. Smyczek is a crafty all court counter puncher but expect Haas to get through in straights despite coming back after a bit of a summer break. At the same time on the Grandstand, you can hop over to Melanie Oudin and Angelique Kerber.

At the same time if you want to get a first-come-first serve seating up front on Grandstand, you'll want to catch at least the first set of Jack Sock taking on Top 20 Japanese star Kei Nishikori. Sock's got impressive power and he'll have to stay consistent to outmatch Nishikori. Kei moves like the wind and uses his core strength to hit incredible ground strokes on the run. I'm going with Kei in 3 sets but this should be a fun encounter.

So dont wait folks, make sure you get your tickets here or head on over to Rock Creek Park and we'll see you there .

Citi Open - Early Round Highlights

Grigor Dimitrov aka. "Baby Fed"

Early Round Recap by Nikhil S.

An action packed Tuesday evening at the Citi Open in Washington DC - lot of great matches and young talent on display. If you still haven't visited this year, today and tomorrow (Thursday) are going to be great days to visit (click here for tickets and tournament info)

Somdev Devvarman (UVa Alum)

Upset of the day (Tuesday)

Somdev Devvarman (yes that two "dev's" in one name) taking out defending champ Alex Dolgopolov. Alexander has been affected by health issues this year nad he looked out of sorts but Devvarman showed incredible foot speed and great touch to pull this one out.

Matches of the day

Sam Querry vs Denis Istomin - 3rd Set Tie-breaker

In terms of drama, Sam Querrey's Houdini-esque escape after saving multiple points against Denis Istomin probably stands out. Both players seemed tentative in the final set tie-break with Istomin throwing in two double faults, to let Sam squeak through.

In terms of quality of tennis, the late night match between Marcos Baghdatis and Lukas Lacko on Court 1 might be hard to beat this week. Baghdatis moved like a cat counterpunching while Lacko glided around the court dictating play, as both guys traded clean flat groundies in this pulsating encounter. After winning a close 1st set tie-break Lacko looked drain a Baghdatis entered the zone clocking winners on the run to the delight of the gasping crowd. "Bag" as some of his inebriated fans nicknamed him last night, got the early break in the 3rd set and coasted along to close it out 6-4 in three tight sets.

Ryan Harrison - focused, tanned and ready

Other highlights: Young talents Jack Sock, Bernard Tomic and Grigor Dimitrov posted routine wins while young American Ryan Harrison notched an impressive scalp in ousting Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets. In the press room, Grigor Dimitrov handled the press with panache, skillfully deflecting questions about his "off court" media scrutiny. You can see a clip of his interview here.

Wednesday promises to be another action-packed day with top seeds Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, Tommy Haas and John Isner all taking the court.

Make sure you get your Citi Open tickets here. See you there!

Familiar Faces, Familiar Places - DC Open Revisited

DC Open Adult Open Championships

William Fitzgerald Tennis Center, Washington DC (Sept 7-9) - USTA Mid-Atlantic Tournament

Just last month in August, the ATP 500 Citi Open was held at the same location in Washington DC. It was known as the Legg Mason tournament for many years and recently switched over.

It was great that we were able to practice on the very same courts as the men and women pros just 4-5 weeks ago were competing and practicing on. The stadium court would have been the perfect place to play the Sunday finals, which surprisingly was not locked.

But seeing it without all the chairs and banners gives it a different, more apocalyptic feeling. Also, I found out that they took the smaller Grandstand and show courts and covered them in a bubble - probably for the winter indoor season.

Citi Open - Practice Courts (same ones used for DC Open in Sept)

New Practice Courts

Since last year, DC had taken a row of rarely-used Har Tru clay courts in the back corner and converted them to new Deco Turf hard courts. A smart move in my opinion. Playing on them was nice as this summer, while covering the Citi Open, most of the pros practiced or played at least once on the same surface.

So my first match was on Court 1 - the same one that Pablo Andujar (#33 in the world) had practiced on. Later, in the Semi's I was on the Court 3 where Xavier Malisse had been playing around just a month prior.

Granted that the USTA tournament was for amateurs, it included some high levels including the Men's Open players with the 1st and 2nd seeds facing off in the Sunday Final.

Familiar Faces in the DC Tournament Scene

Ms. Salie

As always, Ms. Salie was the referee and has been there for many, many DC tournaments. I've seen her at the Howard University (Banneker), Turkey Thicket and several other courts through the years. Always smiling but also knowing when to lay down the law. She will come by, put up the singles sticks and then wish you a good match. You can trust her calls and rely on her to be there when there's a problem.

Mr. Harris

My favorite part of these annual summer USTA tournaments are the pleasant people who include fellow players at various levels and NTRPs. This year I was lucky enough to run into my role model, in the 50's and over division, Mr. Harris.

This guy is the nicest tennis player and person you'll ever meet on or off the court at these USTA tournaments. Also, he knows how to win with what he's got; an improv man with jazz talents, he reins in the hardest hitters and more determined foes. He is also a perennial - practically ever tournament I have enter in the past 2 years, he is there. Right as rain.

Last month, he was even voted by his peers for the Sportsmanship Award at the Bruce Francis Memorial Tournament.

Babolat Tennis Bag

During the last tournament, I saw that he was carrying around a Babolat Team bag along with another blue duffle bag. It just so turned out that I had just received an extra one - this one a 6-pack, just slightly bigger Babolat Team bag that I was planning to use for my upcoming bag review and then simply give away to another one of my many Tennis-Bargain Fans. But then I thought to myself - here's a man, with all his wins and matches, deserves a spare tennis bag.

In the past, I've thought of these gifts as "spoils of war" - which is what I call my treasure chest of strings, grips, bags, clothes, even custom shoes that go to victors of tennis - dripping in sponsorship and marketing juice, they dress you up nice and pretty to make them look good and their stuff sell like hotcakes.

But here was a man sporting none of that. Sunscreen stained and battle-tattered polos, still fighting and coming up with win among the best in the arena. Sure he will still win and lose like everyone else, but his mindset is what is incredible. He doesn't need to boast himself (doesn't even fist-pump or say com'mon), nor put anyone else down to succeed. He's always positive and gives you a bear hug at the end, win or lose.

"Greatful Dead Bob"

So I approached him to offer a new Babolat Bag to him. And being Mr. Harris, he insists that it be donated to another guy - someone who if you just met, you might say looks like he came "straight out of a Grateful Dead concert" because of his tie-dye shirts and straw brimmed hat :) whom I'll call "Bob".

Well Bob had just lost his first round match and was looking a little bit down. I had seen him in a previous tournament but thought nothing much - he was a big, round fella riding who had rode his bike (probably from the metro). I looked at the black backpack he had been hauling his stuff in - it was beat up pretty badly and had to be tied close with some extra string.

Mr. Harris always knew who needed help and his selflessness is never lost on him. I found out later that Bob sometimes went around collecting used tennis using his bike helmet as a bucket sometimes...probably to give them to some kids later on or use as practice balls? Bob was very grateful for the unexpected gift. And I had a found a good home for the bag. Worse players like me, have owned much newer equipment and been blessed with much nicer tennis clothes. It was fitting that a good heart and strong player be rewarded for once.

Worthy Prizes for Worthwhile People

All the trophies, medals and ribbons you collect as Champion are just pieces of metal and fabric in the end...they will only go so far toward making you happy and remembered off the tennis court.

In the end, you have to give back. To your own charities. In your own way. Don't let others tell you or sway you with constant begging or wallowing or complaining. You can't always find them advertised on a big billboard - sometimes it's just one man, sometimes it's just one bag.

Deserving folks are out there in the real world - just have to find them, or ask Mr. Harris to point them out.

You'll feel a sense of inner contentment / "cosmic balance" and satisfaction that somehow the big titles and ranking points just do not provide.

Giving Back: feels impossible when you have little or nothing to give. Yet feels natural when you see these people have everything to gain.

Mental Tennis: Watching 5+ hours of Live Pro Tennis

Citi Open Finals Flashback: Aug 2012

Alexandra Dolgopolov reacts in ATP 500 Final (Citi Open) after dropping a game

Even with the funny captions, it turns out that he wasn't actually looking at my photographer and me, thank goodness! Here's our reverse viewpoint to the TV cameras, at that same moment =)

Actually, it is hard to stay emotionally distant during huge points, when you're so physically close to the action in the photographer's pit. Sometimes I prefer to sit a little bit further and higher up so you get a better "coach's angle" of the plays.

Mental Tennis Matches: playing and spectating among Friends

As part of the press, you're asked to be impartial. Both Alex and Tommy are great guys so it would have been a hard ask to root against either. Both were in a tough struggle when they split sets after a long rain delay.

Equally hard is when you either have to play against someone you know, or watch your friends battle it out against each other.

My Advice: I try not to pick sides, remember my training, perform the very best I can that day, and always applaud great plays on both sides of the net.

DC's Citi Open Wrap-up and US Open Series update

Special Thanks:
1) To the media crew from Sage Communications / Steve Winters' team was very helpful to my staff this week. Even though it was the first year for the Citi Open group, all the facilities at the media center were run like clockwork and food was excellent. For new photographers and reporters, it was a welcoming experience to provide promotional coverage for Citi Open.

2) To the volunteers (purple shirts) who were very friendly and helpful for getting this event coordinated even with all the rain delay and late nights there.

3) For the athletes to come to DC and compete in this first ever ATP/WTA combined event in Washington. Their willingness to speak with us and offer the post-game interviews was invaluable.

4) Last but not least, to my crew Mikhail Bezruchko - senior photographer for his photography contributions and my lead ATP consultant/blog writer Nikhil Subramanian for his insights and match previews throughout the week.

Great experience for us at Citi Open 2012, and hope to see everyone out there again next year!

Looking ahead - 3 more weeks until NYC and the US Open 2012

US Open Series Bonus Challenge Standings (8/5/12)

Position	Player	Country	Total Points
1	Sam Querrey	USA	95
T-2	Alexandr Dolgopolov	UKR	70
	Andy Roddick	USA	70
T-4	Ricardas Berankis	LTU	45
	Tommy Haas	GER	45
	Gilles Muller	LUX	45
T-7	Xavier Malisse	BEL	30
	Michael Russell	USA	30
T-9	Mardy Fish	USA	25
	John Isner	USA	25
	Marinko Matosevic	AUS	25
	Rajeev Ram	USA	25
	Go Soeda	JPN	25

ATP Final: Alex Dolgopolov vs Tommy Haas

Post-Olympic tennis tonight on American Hard courts in DC -  US Open less than 4 weeks away!

A new contender vs the seasoned veteran.

Hot vs cold, Erratic vs calm, Young vs Old.

Tommy Haas - ATP Veteran
Photo by Mikhail Bezruchko.  COPYRIGHT Tennis-Bargains.com 

Tommy Haas

Tommy has already beaten Federer on grass in Germany just weeks ago. Although he did not get on the German Olympic team, this ATP 500 title would be a great sense of redemption and achievement.

He is playing his best tennis in recent history. Entering the "Agassi 2nd career" phase now at 34, Tommy looks very hungry for another title.

Well conditioned for the heat in his semi-finals match against Fish, last night he came back out to do a bit of scouting against his younger opponent. Let's see how mentally tough he will be against the flash and dazzle of Dolg.

Dolgopolov serving up 1st ATP 500 Final
Photo by Mikhail Bezruchko.  COPYRIGHT Tennis-Bargains.com

Alexandr "The Dog" Dolgopolov

At 24, he will be the young pup in this fight, but brings some amazing shot-making ability to the table. His serve can a double-edged sword. Either excellent and unreadable, or backfire and give him some trouble even when 40-0 up in his service game.

It will be Alex's first ever ATP 500 Final - but he has handled the pressure very well this week...up until today. Let's see if nerves hold or if this hot/humid DC afternoon will change anything with his game plan. Handling his emotions and playing aggressively on the return will again be keys to this match for him.

Interesting note: Apparently Alex uses the same Luxilon Ace 18 strings as me.

My prediction

Both are great competitors. I've seen Haas here for years and would be nice him to finally break through. He looks more hungry of the two. Dolg has the higher ranking and building more confidence with each win. If he brings his "A" game and step up to the next gear against Haas, it will be a great match!

It will either be Haas in 2 sets, or Dolgopolov in 3  - with at least one tie-break set. Should be a great ATP final in Washington, DC tonight.

From London back to DC - ATP Men's Final

Welcome back from London to our nation's capital DC at the Citi Open ATP 500 Men's Final.

Watch it on ESPN2 @ 4PM EST live!

Super Sat ATP 500 Semi-Finals: Fish vs Haas, Querry vs Dolgopolov

Mardy Fish vs Tommy Haas: "Old Guys" Semi-Final

This is the match-up of two 30+ tour veterans looking for a big ATP win in DC. Most of the week, I have been predicting this SF. Last Sunday the two played a practice match against each other, where it looked like Haas was the more determined aggressor and Fish is still a bit on eggshells to find his peak form.

Look for Fish's serve to lead the charge for the rest of his game.

Haas had a relatively easy win over Kamke on Friday afternoon and should be well rested for this scorcher in the afternoon.

My prediction is a close 3-sets with Haas a slight edge in conditioning to take the decider.

Tommy Haas - COPYRIGHT: JCTennis.com (c) Mikhail Bezruchko

Learn how to get ~$35 ATP 500 Semi-Finals and Final Tickets with these money-saving tips

Reminder: Sat, Aug 4 is Military Appreciation Day

• Free entry for all active duty and retired members, family for afternoon session.
• Plus our nation's heroes also get free 2-for-1 tickets, any day of the week.

Sam Querrey vs Alex Dolgopolov: "Young Guns" Semi-Final

The match-up of the 24 year old rising stars. Playing in the evening at 7pm should give a slight edge to Dolg, who has been getting the last match on stadium court several nights in a row now.

Sam's 1-2 tennis has earned him a 3-peat at the LA Farmer's Classic last weekend. He's the big serve and run-around forehand style that will match up very nicely against Alex's counter-punching and tactical explosiveness.

Against the Blake power, Alex was able to wear him down and run him to the net for the passing shots. If Alex is able to hold his serve against Sam (who would be a stronger/younger version of Blake's power), then he will make it through. If Querrey is able to dictate play from the baseline then it will be extremely hard even with Dolg's great defensive skills to stay in the match.

For this one, I will predict two tie-breakers with Alex prevailing on a couple key breaks of serve.

Alexandr Dolgopolov - COPYRIGHT: JCTennis.com (c) Mikhail Bezruchko

Military Appreciation Day hosted by Geico Saturday, August 4, Gates open at 11:00amThe Citi Open and Geico will be honoring and showing respect for all of the brave men and women that are serving in all the military branches. The day will feature many patriotic elements, including Color Guard, a coin toss by a Wounded Warrior, a flag unfurling, the National Anthem sung by Army SFC Antonio Guiliano and a clinic for military families on Saturday morning.

Military members and veterans who present their military ID at the box office will receive free admission (subject to availability) for Saturday afternoon's session courtesy of Geico. Additionally, all active duty and retired military members and families will receive a 2-for-1 discount (limit four [4] free tickets per person) on reserved tickets throughout the entire week of the tournament (redeemable at the box office).

Citi Open August 2, 2012 - Key Match-ups

Round of 16: Men's Preview and Predictions

Analyst and picks made by: ATP analyst Nikhil with results input by JC

Another great line-up scheduled for Thursday, August 2nd at the Citi Open. Plenty of good matches in store, so make sure you have your tickets in hand. I'm not much of a gambling man, but who can't throw a few darts at tennis picks? Here's a stab at the men's matches to watch.

Anderson v. Serra

Serra came through qualifying this week and caused a semi-upset when he ousted Brian Baker. Kevin Anderson was impressive in his Tuesday night win over Juergen Zopp. The 6' 7" South African has played college tennis at the University of Illinois, so the 4PM heat will be no surprise to him. Expect some close and hard fought baseline rallies, as Serra will try to his guile outmaneuver his biggest opponent. Anderson will have to serve well and throw in some forays to the net but this match will come down to Serra's ability to stay on serve.

Our Picks:

Nik - Anderson in two tough sets.
JC - Anderson in straights, if Serra doesn't come up with the goods on serve.
Let's see if Serra will serenade the audience again with his French explicatives by the 2nd set.

Querrey v. Becker

Sam was presumably a little jet-lagged from his Monday West Coast flight from L. A. as he battled Igor Andreev on Tuesday, well past midnight. Querrey stayed aggressive though to come through in the triple tie-break threat. Becker, has a big serve for 5' 10" and generally maximizes his court time and ability in every match. Watch this match to see Querrey absolutely hit the cover off the ball, consistently hit 130mph serves and see how the tie-breaks pan out.

Our Picks:

Nik - I fancy Querrey will take this one in two tie-break sets.
JC - Querrey will take this relatively easy with 6-3, 6-4 win.
Still on a hot winning streak on hard courts and I expect to see him add onto his US Open bonus points. I would say the warmer temps should favor the American.

Fish v. Berankis

Fish is battling a sore ankle and a recent heart issue(arrhythmia) so his confidence has been up and down, particularly his opening outing against Phau. I suspect Fish will be more zoned in for this match but Berankis is no pushover. Fish may not be able to just stay on the baseline in this one, he'll need to throw Berankis off balance by occasionally approaching the net.

Our Pick:
Nik - The first two sets will be close, but Fish gets through in three.
JC - Close one with at least one tie-break.
Fish said in his post-match conference that he's "100%" now, this is going to test that statement physically. Berankis won't go down easy.

Chardy v. Malisse

This is likely going to be the most interesting match of the day. In tennis, matches between closely matched opponents are usually a lot more interesting than a mismatch between the no. 10 player in the world versus number 100. In terms of rankings, the one pits 47 ranked Chardy (who fancies himself as a TV actor) against the X-Man, ranked 67. The match-up is as even as it gets. Malisse, always prone to a meltdown and some drama, wasn't too happy with the Grandstand court in his previous match against Mathieu - he complained (justifiably) about the windscreens, the crowds walking past behind him, wailing babies, speakers that were too close to the court, the lights and just about everything else.

The important thing is he still managed to win the match. Chardy, while less dramatic, can fade in and out as well. Look for the Frenchman to control the court with his big first serve and his inside out forehand. Chardy is an aggressive baseliner and he will have his task cut out. Malisse has a great backhand a workable forehand and generally can play an all court game.

Our Pick:

Nik - This one's a tight three setter, Chardy may just scrape through in a dramatic third.
JC - My heart says X-Man, but my head says Chardy.
I say the winner of the 1st set will take this one in 3.

What do you think, who's your pick? Feel free to add your own comments below!

Citi Open 2012 - ATP/WTA Picture Gallery

COPYRIGHT: JCTennis.com (c) Mikhail Bezruchko http://mikhailbezruchko.zenfolio.com

Citi Open 2012: Daily Live Coverage!

Who to watch at the Citi Open

by Nikhil Subramanian (Consultant and Tennis Blogger)
+ JC Post-match comments

The Citi Open is my favorite tournament of the year - when else can you drive 30 minutes to Rock Creek Park and watch word class athletes strut their stuff? With the Olympics being held concurrently this year, Citi still has a great turnout, with some exciting European, South American and young American contenders fighting it out. If you've been out of touch with the latest on the ATP tour, here's a few players to watch out for this year, that will take the court today on Tuesday 7/31.

Alexandr Dolgopolov

"The Dolg", as he is known on the tour, has tennis in his veins. As a young kid, he traveled the tour with his dad (coach to former pro Andrei Medvedev) and hit with the likes of Boris Becker.

What to look out for: Alex has one of the lowest serve ball tosses you'll ever see with a whippy service motion. Watch as he almost hits the ball right out of his hands! His low first serve percentage can be his achilles heel. Also watch for the hacker's slice backhand that floats up but hit with a lot of side spin, something you'll rarely see on the pro tour.

JC: I first spotted Alex and his Aussie coach Jack Reader at the US Open 2009. Amazing Talent and terrific young man! He has a great personality and demeanor on and off-court.

*Doubles Bonus* - He is also back again with his good friend and Doubles Partner Xavier ("X-man") Malisse. Hopefully his terrific coach Jack Reader and him will grant us an on-court interview after the match!
Well it looked like he and his coach were very hungry, grabbing some local grub to chow down and watching a few more matches while waiting for his partner to finish of the frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Benoit Paire

For this up and coming Frenchman, tennis is an art and the court is his canvas. Watch him to see beautiful all court tennis - Paire is adept from all parts of the court and can vary the depth and speed of his game depending on who he is playing.

What to look out for: Paire seems to, at times, focus in and out of his matches. He looks to play smart percentage tennis for most part but sometimes can lose focus for a few games and appear lackasdaical.

JC: I agree, this guy looks like he's tanking it one point and then cranking it up the next. He made it back on serve in the 2nd set but proceeded to break down again, serving at 5-6. Watching him at the Farmer's Classic Tournament in LA on TV, he looked like he was reaching for his abdomen and wincing in pain one point against Mike Russell. Then the very next point manages to hit 3 overheads in a row. Not sure I appreciate under performance AND mystery illnesses - save it for the football field, hero.

Tommy Haas

The consummate tennis pro, Haas seems like he's been around forever. The upside of his many injuries has been that he hasn't accumulated as many miles on the meter, and he appears as fit and motivated as he has ever been recently taking a grass title in Halle (beating old foe Roger Federer) and making the finals on clay in Hamburg.

What to look out for: Haas' single backhand is the sweetest you'll ever see. Also look for Tommy making a high percentage of first serves, usually hitting them at 70% of his max with topspin. Haas hits a top spin second serve and not a kick serve, which is somewhat unusual on the tour these days. While Tommy has been much calmer on court, watch for his body language and temper, if he loses it, he gets behind in the match.
JC: Tommy's the perpetual entertainer - probably one of the most likable fan-favorites out on the practice court. He seems to be really hungry again for success. I would expect him to make it to the finals, especially how strong he spared against Fish on Sunday and his commitment to drill another couple hours in the hottest part of the day, on Court 6 just minutes later.

Bjorn Phau

Andre Agassi and Tommy Haas rate Phau as the one of the quickest players on tour. What Phau lacks in size, he makes up in speed.

What to look out for: Watch Phau stay zoned in throughout the course of the match, his focus rarely seems to waver and he's giving it 100% out there.
JC: Bjorn always gives himself a chance because of his feet. Although the crowd was an overwhelming pro-Fish crowd, Bjorn won the 1st set and some of the fans over with his tenacity tonight. Fish woke up in the 2nd and 3rd set with some clutch serving to seal it relatively easily.

Igor Andreev

It would be a stretch to call him a right-handed version of Rafael Nadal, but Igor has plied his trade on the clay courts in Spain for many years now. The guy can hit vicious RPMs on his serve and forehand and you have to see it to believe it. Find a seat at court level have to watch the pace and spin he puts on the ball. For the ladies, Igor is ripped the core so you may catch a glimpse of his 8-pack on the practice courts.

What to look out for: Look to Igor to try and hit forehands from everywhere on the court to control the baseline and jerk his opponent around.

Ricardas Berankis

As a former junior world no. 1 and junior grand slam winner, the 5' 9" 22 year old from Lithuania has had expectations placed on his young shoulders since he turned pro. Last year however he underwent surgery and barely played on the ATP level. Since his return from his pelvic/adductor injury, hes put together great results at the Challenger and recently made the finals at the Farmer's Classic in LA.

What to look out for: Berankis has strong ground strokes, and is equally adept from both wings. If he puts over 70% first serves in, watch him control the points, make plenty of serve returns and try to wear his opponent down from the baseline.

Tobias Kamke

A poor man's Davedenko if you will, Kamke is a late bloomer at age 26. He moves like a flash and takes quick swings trying to hurt his opponent with attacking ground strokes. Kamke was voted as ATP's "Newcomer of the Year" in 2010. The German is looking to get back up into the top 100 (current rank 107) and pass his career best rank of 64.

What to look out for: Kamke will stay focused and give it a 100% every point. Watch him try to make inroads against opponents who may outsize him, but rarely outmatch.
JC: Kamke put the Frenchman Paire in a bind during the backhand cross-court rallies. It looked like Kamke was the most dominant striker tonight.

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Writer's Bio
"Nik" is an web manager, with expertise in web site design, development, hosting and infrastructure. He specializes in deploying easy-to-edit web sites using Content Management Systems. He is also an avid writer and tennis enthusiast; researching and covering the ATP tour.