Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka, Leylah Fernandez, Sloane Stephens and Sofia Kenin join Emma Raducanu in Citi Open’s initial player field
The Citi Open® has announced that more of the world’s best men’s and women’s tennis players have joined its initial 2022 player field that now includes three Grand Slam champions, two Citi Open champions and five top 20 players.
The list features 2019 Citi Open champion Nick Kyrgios, D.C. native Frances Tiafoe, World No. 8 Andrey Rublev, 2022 Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz, World No. 18 Reilly Opelka, 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, 2015 Citi Open and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. The event also recently announced defending US Open champion Emma Raducanu will compete in Washington for the first time in 2022. The Citi Open is one of only five combined tennis tournaments in the country, featuring professional competition from both men and women. The 2022 event will be held July 30 through August 7 at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
“We are thrilled to welcome more Grand Slam champions, two past Citi Open champions and several fan favorites back to Washington this summer. Our tournament historically draws a deep field of the world’s best players, which creates exhilarating matches throughout the week,” said Mark Ein, Citi Open Chairman. “We are just two months out from a memorable week of world-class tennis in the nation's capital and are excited to share these new player field additions with our fans. We look forward to announcing more players and tournament updates in the coming weeks.”
New Citi Open ATP player field additions:
- Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open Champion: Kyrgios is a two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist and six-time ATP champion, including winning the Citi Open in 2019. This season, the 27-year-old Australian reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and semifinals in Houston. He also captured the 2022 Australian Open doubles title with partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.
- Frances Tiafoe, D.C. Native & World No. 27: Tiafoe will compete in Washington for the sixth time in 2022. The American reached the finals in Estoril and quarterfinals in Houston this season. He won his first ATP title in Delray Beach in 2018 at 20 years old, making him the youngest American man to win an ATP tournament since Andy Roddick in 2002.
- Andrey Rublev, World No. 8: Rublev holds 11 career titles and is a five-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist. His 2022 season has consisted of three wins in Belgrade, Dubai and Marseille, two semifinal appearances in Indian Wells and Rotterdam and two quarterfinal berths at Roland-Garros and the Mutua Madrid Open. The 24-year-old reached the Citi Open semifinals in 2018 and will compete in the Washington field for the third time this year.
- Taylor Fritz, 2022 Indian Wells Champion & World No. 14: 24-year-old Fritz recently captured the biggest title of his career in Indian Wells, where he became the first American to win the men’s singles title since Andre Agassi in 2001. His victory catapulted him to a career-high ranking of World No. 13 in March 2022, then went on to reach the quarterfinals in Houston and Monte Carlo. He ended his 2021 season as the No. 1 ranked American player.
- Reilly Opelka, World No. 18: American Opelka will play the Citi Open for the fifth time in 2022. He holds four ATP titles, winning two this year in Dallas and Houston. This season, the 24-year-old reached the finals in Delray Beach, semifinals in Sydney and Geneva and the fourth round of Indian Wells.
New Citi Open WTA player field additions:
- Leylah Fernandez, 2021 US Open Finalist & World No. 15: Nineteen-year-old Fernandez is a two-time Monterrey champion, where she captured back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. The Canadian recently reached the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros and famously competed in the all-teen US Open final in 2021, falling to fellow 2022 Citi Open contender Raducanu.
- Sloane Stephens, 2017 US Open Champion & 2015 Citi Open Champion: Grand Slam champion Stephens holds seven singles titles, including the 2017 US Open title and 2015 Citi Open title. This season, the 29-year-old American won the tournament in Guadalajara and reached the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros, where she was a finalist in 2018.
- Sofia Kenin, 2020 Australian Open Champion: Kenin has accepted a main draw Wild Card into the Citi Open. The former World No. 4 has been sidelined by injuries throughout the past two seasons. She won her first Grand Slam title in 2020 at the Australian Open, reached the finals of the French Open the same year and holds five WTA singles titles. The 23-year-old reached the quarterfinals in Adelaide in January.
Citi Open’s ATP 500 event will showcase 48 singles players and 16 doubles teams. Its revived WTA 250 event will celebrate its 10th edition in 2022 with a player field featuring 32 singles competitors and 16 doubles teams. The event will continue to announce players and tournament updates in the coming weeks.
In April 2019, MDE Sports, owned and led by Washington-based venture capitalist, entrepreneur and civic leader Ein, acquired the management rights of the Citi Open tournament from the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), a non-profit which provides free tennis and educational programs for children in underserved communities. This acquisition secured the Citi Open’s future in the U.S. and specifically in Washington.
For more than 50 years, the Citi Open has hosted top tennis talent in Rock Creek Park. The tournament was founded to support Arthur Ashe’s vision of playing a professional tennis tournament in a fully accessible public park. The Citi Open has continued to build and expand the event, with the goal of positively impacting the Washington community and creating one of the best events in the world. The WTEF, a longtime beneficiary of the Citi Open, capitalizes on the tournament annually for fundraising and has raised millions for youth programs in the Washington area.
Last year’s tournament was the most successful in the event’s history, shattering previous attendance records and selling out all sessions throughout the week. Full tournament packages are on sale now and can be purchased via email at [email protected] or by calling (202) 721-9500. To learn more about the tournament, ticket options, player fields, event policies and more, visit citiopentennis.com.