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!

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

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.

Click here to get great deals on tickets to the Citi Open

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.