The number of top-tier tennis tournaments occurring in the United States has steadily declined over the last few decades. That’s why it so special that the Citi Open (formerly known as the Washington Open) has taken place in DC every year since the 1960s. The Open is held at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, a 7,500-seat facility without a bad seat in the house. The host and charitable beneficiary of the event is the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, a non-profit that uses tennis as a vehicle for outreach and support for underserved young people. 

Aside from being a historic event that benefits a good cause, the athletic action is always to be world-class. Early player commitments this year include names like the electrifying Greek prodigy Stefanos Tsitsipas, seventh-ranked women’s player Sloane Stephens, College Park native Frances TIafoe, and breakout Canadian youngster Bianca Andreescu. Single session tickets are on sale now, and matches run from July 27 through August 4.