Fish Commits to Play at ATP World Tour 500 Tournament in D.C.
Top-ranked American Mardy Fish will headline the ATP World Tour 500 tennis tournament in Washington, D.C., to be played July 28-Aug. 5. The new-look event becomes the Citi Open and and will be played at an upgraded William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center. Fish has been eager to return to the tournament after being forced to withdraw from the 2011 edition due to a bruised right heel he suffered the week before in the Los Angeles tournament. Now 30, Fish is currently the top-ranked American with just over 100 points separating him and the second-ranked American, John Isner. Last year, Fish topped Isner to take the crown at the BT&T Atlanta Open, bringing his career singles titles total to six. He was also the runner-up at the Rogers Cup and the Farmers Classic. So far in 2012, he has maintained his Top 10 ranking highlighted by reaching the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
“We’re thrilled to have the top-ranked American, Mardy Fish, committed early to this year’s Citi Open,” said Jeff Newman, tournament director and senior vice president at Lagardère-Unlimited. “2012 is a big year for the tournament – with a new title sponsor, the inclusion of a WTA women’s event this year, and new facility upgrades–and so it’s exciting to also have a Top 10 player participating in our event.”
As an ATP World Tour 500 level event, the Citi Open is recognised by the ATP World Tour as one of the top 20 tournaments worldwide and continually attracts the best men’s tennis players from around the globe. Past champions include five-time champion Andre Agassi, three-time champions Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Villas and Andy Roddick, two-time champions Ivan Lendl, Michael Chang and Juan Martin Del Potro along with Arthur Ashe, Stefan Edberg, Yannick Noah, James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt, Tim Henman and many more.
The WTA tournament, which was called the Citi Open and held the week before the then-Legg Mason Tennis Classic in 2011, will be played simultaneously with the ATP World Tour 500 event in 2012 only to accommodate the Olympics schedule. The inclusion of the women’s event this year will allow tournament organisers to create an enhanced experience for fans and players who attend, including numerous site upgrades such as a 2,500-seat show court to accommodate both tournaments.
As part of a multi-year commitment, Citi becomes just the seventh title sponsor in the 44-year history of the tournament, replacing Legg Mason, which had been the longest-running ATP title sponsor in North America to date (since 1994).
“The tournament has a storied history in Washington, D.C.,” said Dermot Boden, Citi Chief brand officer. “It’s been a prominent event on the ATP World Tour for years, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to do our part in carrying on the rich tradition, along with taking it to new heights as the Citi Open. This iconic Washington, D.C., event is a great way to mark our involvement in the local community, both on and off the court.”
