Citi Open Tennis: Women Included for First Time in Rock Creek Park Event (photos)

For the first time in the event’s 43 year history, the Citi Open has expanded the field to include female participants. The ATP World Tour hard-court tournament changed its name to the Citi Open, after being known as the Legg Mason Tennis Classic since 1994. The 2012 Citi Open ATP World Tour 500 Level men’s event is recognized as one of the top 20 ATP events in the world, offering nearly $1.5 million in prize money. The WTA tournament, which was historically held the week before the then Legg Mason Tennis Classic, will now be played simultaneously with the men’s event and offers $220,000 in prize money. Combining both mens and womens events will offer fans up to 20 matches per day beginning Monday. We were on hand for the first-ever match to feature women’s tennis at the Rock Creek Park event on July 28, a qualifying match featuring Jana Cepelova (Slovakia) and Alison Riske (USA).

The tournament is taking place at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in the Rock Creek Park section of Washington, DC., from July 28 thru August 5, 2012.

View our photos of the first day’s qualifying events from courtside by clicking on the photo icons below.