Catching the Action at the Citi Open (photos)
By • August 5, 2019 0 1732
Tennis balls are among the fastest moving objects in all of sports, and the racquet hand is far quicker than the eye. Fortunately we have the ability to freeze the action down to fractions of seconds. View my photographs of this past week’s Citi Open tournament from courtside by clicking on the photo icons below.
The Washington Open (also known as the Citi Open, for its chief corporate sponsor) has been the premier tennis event in the District since 1969. This year’s tournament was held from July 27 to Aug. 4, once again at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park. Part of the ATP World Tour 500 and WTA International circuits, it attracts some of the leading tennis talent in the world. This year marked the tournament’s first under the management of local businessman Mark Ein, also the owner of the Washington Kastles of World Team Tennis.
A fan favorite, Nick Kyrgios of Australia defeated Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Sunday, Aug. 4, to take the men’s singles title. The most entertaining match took place the previous night, when Kyrgios defeated number-one seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in a tense, third-set tiebreaker.
On the women’s court, Jessica Pegula, daughter of Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula, defeated Camila Giorgi of Italy to win her first WTA singles title.
Fifteen-year-old Wimbledon sensation Coco Gauff teamed up with 17-year-old Caty McNally to win the women’s doubles title. The other headliner team, the brothers Andy and Jamie Murray, came up short in their men’s doubles quarterfinal against eventual champions Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus.
Unlike last year’s tournament, play was only held up briefly due to inclement weather. But there was plenty of stormy behavior on the field, with several thrown and broken racquets, along with a “shoe gate” controversy which stopped play during the men’s quarterfinals.
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- 15-year-old Coco Gauff guards the net in the women’s doubles final, won with teammate Caty McNally on Saturday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Former tournament champ Milos Raonic of Canada lost his match to to Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk in the second round. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Marin Cilic defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Claudia Georgia of Italy returns against Jessica Pegula in womens singles final on Sunday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Tournament winner Nick Kyrgios lunges for a serve from opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thrilling semifinals match on Saturday, Aug. 3. Photo by Jeff Malet.
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- World No. 10 Daniil Medvedev returns a shot from Nick Nick Kyrgios in the men’s singles final. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Stefanos Tsitsipas lost in a thrilling third set tie breaker against Nick Kyrgios on Saturday night. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Italy’s Camila Giorgi (photo) ended American teenager Caty McNally’s singles run with a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory in the semi-finals. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Italy’s Camila GioCaty McNally lost to Camila Giorgi 7-6(5) 6-2 in the ingles semi-finals (photo by Jeff Malet).
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- Women’s champion Jessica Pegula returns against Anna Kalinskaya in their semi-final match on Saturday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Anna Kalinskaya lost to Jessica Pegula in the women’s semi-final. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- “Lucky loser” Norbert Gombos of Slovakia lost his quarter final match here to Nick Kyrgios on Friday (photo by Jeff Malet).
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- Benoit Paire throws his shoe in protest against play stoppage in his quarter final match against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates a winner in his semi-final match on Friday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Benoit Paire lunges for a ball in his quarter final match against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Jamie Murray (photo) and brother Andy Murray came up short in this men’s doubles quarter-final against eventual champions Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Raven Klaasen. Brothers Andy and Jamie Murray, came up short in their men’s doubles quarter-final against eventual champions Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Michael Venus. Brothers Andy and Jamie Murray, came up short in their men’s doubles quarter-final against eventual champions Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Frances Tiafoe of College Park Md. lost this match to Daniil Medvedev on Thursday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost his match against Kyle Edmund on Thursday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- CRUNCH! 2016 finalist Ivo Karlovic breaks his tennis racquet over his knee in frustration after losing to American wild card Bjorn Fratangelo 6-4, 6-7(14), 7-6(5) in their Citi Open first round match on Monday (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Brothers Andy Murray and Jamie Murray defeated Wimbledon finalists Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-7(7), 10-5 in their Citi Open doubles first round match on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Brothers Andy Murray and Jamie Murray defeated Wimbledon finalists Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-7(7), 10-5 in their Citi Open doubles first round match on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Lauren Davis won 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 over fellow American Sofia Kenin to reach the quarter finals. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Sofia Kenin lost to Loren Davis on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Reilly Opelka on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Reilly Opelka on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Hubert Hurkacz (Poloand) (in photo) lost to John Isner (USA) 6-4, 6-4 in their Citi Open men’s second round match on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Adrian Mannarino of France (photo) lost to Norbert Gombos of Slovakia 6-4, 7-6 (9) in their Citi Open mens second round match on Wednesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Rebecca Peterson (Sweden) (in photo) upset top seed Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-2, 7-5 in their Citi Open womans first round match on Tuesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Daniil Medvedev signs autographs for fans after his loss in the men’s final on Sunday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Claudia Georgia speaks to the press after winning her semi-final match on Saturday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Top seed Sloane Stephens (USA) (in photo) was upset by Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-2, 7-5 in their Citi Open womans first round match on Tuesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Monica Puig of Puerto Rico (photo) defeated American Allie Kiick 6-4, 6-2 in their Citi Open womans first round match on Tuesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Women’s champion Jessica Pegula signs a ball for young Lucia of Washington D.C. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- American Allie Kiick (in photo) lost to Monica Puig of Puerto Rico in their Citi Open womans first round match on Tuesday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- 15-year-old Coco Gauff (photo) and fellow American Caty McNally advanced to the Citi Open women’s doubles quarterfinals 6-3, 6-2 over Zarina Diyas and Zhu Lin on Monday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Andy Murray speaks to the press ahead of his Citi Open doubles matches on Monday, (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- 15-year-old Coco Gauff (photo) and fellow American Caty McNally advanced to the Citi Open women’s doubles quarterfinals 6-3, 6-2 over Zarina Diyas and Zhu Lin on Monday. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- China’s Wang Yafan (photo) lost to Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine in straight sets 6-3 6-2 in the opening round. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Lesia Tsurenko (photo) of Ukraine defeated China’s Wang Yafan in straight sets 6-3 6-2 in their opening round. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Nick Kyrgios celebrates winning mens finals with trophy (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Tournament co-founder Donald Dell with Mark Ein inside the new “Market Square” food court. Photo by Jeff Malet.
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- The new air-conditioned food court at this year’s Citi Open. (photo by Jeff Malet)
