Courtside at the Citi Open (photos)


At its halfway point, the 2017 edition of the Citi Open has lived up to its billing with one of its strongest fields, competitive matches and plenty of first-round upsets and near-upsets to keep fans on their seats beyond 2 a.m. on each of the first three days of the main draw.

In a stunning upset on Wednesday evening, 25-year-old qualifier Yuki Bhambri of India defeated reigning ATP Citi Open champion Gael Monfils of France, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. Also on Wednesday, women’s second seed Kristina “Kiki” Mladenovic of France had to fight off a strong challenge from Tatjana Maria of Germany in three sets, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, in a two-and-a-half-hour match punctuated by a 15-minute medical delay for Mladenovic in the final set.

Also on center court on Wednesday, third seed Milos Raonic of Canada had all he could handle from 35-year-old Nicolas Mahut of France, 7-6(2), 7-6(8). Early in the second set, Raonic blasted a 151-mph ace past Mahut, one of 26 aces for the match.

In the match that followed, 20-year-old sensation and fifth seed Alexander “Sasha” Zverev of Germany survived a strong challenge from Jordan Thompson of Australia, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), in a match that lasted two hours and 11 minutes.

In other WTA results on Wednesday, Eugenie Bouchard of Canada scored her first win since Roland Garros with a 7-6(6), 6-0 win over number-eight seed Christina McHale of the U.S., also in a two-hour, three-set match. On Monday, third seed Lauren Davis of the U.S., last years Citi Open runner up, was stunned 7-5 6-3 by Belarusian teenager Aryna Sabalenka.

The Citi Open will be held through Aug. 6 at Rock Creek Tennis Center, 16th & Kennedy Streets NW. A portion of the proceeds from the Citi Open benefit the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation.

View Jeff Malet’s photos from these and other matches from the first half of the Citi Open by clicking on the photo icons.

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