Washington Open
An annual professional outdoor hard-court tennis tournament held in Washington, D.C., and contested on both the ATP Tour and WTA Tour.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Washington Open is an annual professional tennis tournament held at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. It is branded under successive title-sponsorship names, including the Citi Open, Mubadala Citi DC Open and Mubadala DC Open. The tournament occupies a prominent position in the North American summer hard-court season immediately preceding the US Open. The event began in 1969 as the Washington Star International. It was established by John A. Harris and Donald Dell, with Washington, D.C., selected as its home in part through the encouragement of Arthur Ashe. For much of its early history the tournament used outdoor clay courts. In 1986 it changed to hard courts, aligning its playing surface with the broader North American summer circuit and the US Open. The men's competition has appeared under a succession of commercial identities. It was called the Washington Star International from 1969 through 1981, the Sovran Bank Classic from 1982 through 1992, the Newsweek Tennis Classic in 1993 and the Legg Mason Tennis Classic from 1994 through 2011. CitiGroup became the title sponsor for the combined event in 2012, leading to the Citi Open name, which remained in use through 2022. A women's tournament was added in 2011 as a WTA International event in College Park, Maryland. In 2012, the men's and women's competitions were consolidated in Washington, D.C., creating a joint tournament at the FitzGerald Tennis Center. The women's competition subsequently operated at the WTA 250 level. In 2023, the discontinued Silicon Valley Classic was merged with the Washington event. That transaction elevated the women's draw to WTA 500 status and created the first combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 tournament. The event is described as the only combined 500-level tournament on the two tours. The tournament is owned and managed by Mark Ein in partnership with IMG. Its commercial identity changed again after the 2023 merger, when Mubadala Investment Company joined as a co-title sponsor and the event became the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Citigroup did not renew its sponsorship for the later period, and Mubadala became the sole title sponsor under a five-year arrangement beginning in 2026, giving the event the Mubadala DC Open branding. The Washington Open has also been shaped by media-rights decisions, interruptions and operational changes. It left the US Open Series in 2015 after a disagreement over the amount of linear television coverage available under ESPN's rights arrangement, then returned to the series after its 2019 acquisition by Ein. The 2020 tournament was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Men's competition resumed in 2021, while the women's sanctioned event did not immediately return; organizers instead staged a women's invitational featuring Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Jennifer Brady. Through its history, the tournament has combined a major-city setting, established summer scheduling and high-level men's and women's competition.
History
The tournament was founded in 1969 as the Washington Star International. John A. Harris and Donald Dell were its co-founders, and the event's location in Washington, D.C., was encouraged by Arthur Ashe. It became part of the professional men's tennis calendar and developed into a recurring summer fixture in the North American hard-court season. From 1969 to 1981, the tournament used the Washington Star International name. It then adopted the Sovran Bank Classic identity from 1982 to 1992, followed by the Newsweek Tennis Classic in 1993. From 1994 through 2011 it was known as the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. These names reflected changes in title sponsorship rather than a change in the event's basic Washington identity. The tournament was initially played on outdoor clay courts. In 1986, organizers changed the surface to hard courts. The change placed the event more naturally within the summer hard-court sequence leading toward the US Open and remains a defining feature of the tournament. The venue is the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park. The women's side was introduced in 2011 as a separate WTA International tournament in College Park, Maryland. For the 2012 season, the ATP and WTA scheduling arrangements were reorganized so that the men's and women's events could operate together in Washington. The women's competition moved to the FitzGerald Tennis Center, and Citigroup replaced Legg Mason as title sponsor of the joint event. The resulting tournament was widely identified as the Citi Open and continued with men's and women's draws. In 2015, the event left the US Open Series because of a dispute concerning broadcast exposure. ESPN had taken over rights to the US Open and US Open Series events but offered only a limited amount of linear ESPN2 coverage, with additional programming assigned to ESPN3. Tournament representatives argued that the proposed television visibility was inadequate for an event dependent on substantial sponsorship support. A separate agreement with Tennis Channel provided a larger television package and helped fund improvements and amenities at the venue. Mark Ein acquired the tournament in 2019. Following the acquisition, the event returned to the US Open Series and extended its media-rights relationship with Tennis Channel. The 2020 edition was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Men's competition returned in 2021, but the WTA did not immediately restore the sanctioned women's tournament, partly because of scheduling conflicts involving the rearranged Olympic calendar. The organizers responded with a women's invitational that included Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Jennifer Brady. A major structural change came in 2023. The WTA 500 Silicon Valley Classic was discontinued and its place in the calendar was combined with the Washington event. The merger upgraded the women's competition from WTA 250 status to WTA 500 status. It also created a combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 tournament, described as the first and only joint event at that level on the two tours. Mubadala Investment Company, which had sponsored the Silicon Valley Classic, became a co-title sponsor, producing the Mubadala Citi DC Open name. The event continued to be owned and managed by Mark Ein in partnership with IMG. The tournament's commercial branding later changed again when Citigroup did not renew its sponsorship. Mubadala became the sole title sponsor under a five-year arrangement beginning in 2026, with the event using Mubadala DC Open branding. Despite its changing commercial names, the tournament's core identity has remained a Washington-based professional outdoor hard-court event that serves the North American lead-up to the US Open.
- 2026
Mubadala becomes sole title sponsor
[1]The tournament adopted Mubadala DC Open branding after Citigroup's sponsorship ended.
- 2023
Silicon Valley Classic merger creates a joint 500-level event
[1]The merger raised the women's competition to WTA 500 level and created the first combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 tournament.
- 2020
Tournament cancelled because of COVID-19
[1]The annual event was not held during the pandemic-disrupted professional tennis season.
- 2019
Mark Ein acquisition
[1]Mark Ein acquired the tournament, which later returned to the US Open Series.
- 2015
Broadcast strategy changes after US Open Series withdrawal
[1]The tournament left the US Open Series and reached a separate four-year media agreement with Tennis Channel.
- 2012
ATP and WTA competitions become a joint Washington event
[1]The women's tournament moved to Washington and was consolidated with the men's event at the FitzGerald Tennis Center.
- 2011
First women's tournament is held
[1]A women's WTA International competition was introduced in College Park, Maryland.
- 1994
Legg Mason Tennis Classic era begins
[1]The event began operating under the Legg Mason Tennis Classic name.
- 1986
Surface changes from clay to hard court
[1]The tournament changed from outdoor clay courts to the hard-court surface it uses today.
- 1982
Sovran Bank Classic branding begins
[1]The event adopted the Sovran Bank Classic name after its initial Washington Star International period.
Products and positioning
A Washington, D.C.-based professional tennis event positioned as a leading North American summer hard-court tournament and the only combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 event.
Professional tennis competition · 1969
ATP 500 tournament
The men's competition is an ATP 500 event played on outdoor hard courts. It forms part of the North American summer schedule before the US Open and attracts professional singles and doubles players.
Professional tennis competition · 2011
WTA 500 tournament
The women's competition became a WTA 500 event after the 2023 merger with the Silicon Valley Classic. It is staged alongside the men's event in Washington, D.C.
Sports commercial offering
Tournament hospitality and sponsorship
The event provides commercial inventory through title sponsorship, corporate partnerships, hospitality and venue-based fan experiences. Sponsorship and media arrangements have been central to its changing tournament identities.
Brand decisions
2026
Transition to sole Mubadala title sponsorshipStrategyBackground
Mubadala joined as a co-title sponsor after the Silicon Valley Classic merger, while Citigroup's later sponsorship was not renewed.
Action taken
Mubadala became the sole title sponsor under a five-year arrangement and the tournament adopted Mubadala DC Open branding.
Aftermath
The event's commercial identity shifted from the combined Mubadala Citi DC Open name to Mubadala DC Open.
2023
Merger with the Silicon Valley ClassicM&ABackground
The WTA 500 Silicon Valley Classic was discontinued, while the Washington women's event had previously operated at WTA 250 level.
Action taken
The Silicon Valley Classic was merged with the Washington tournament, with the combined event staged in Washington, D.C.
Aftermath
The women's event was promoted to WTA 500 status and the tournament became the first combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 event.
2019
Acquisition by Mark EinM&ABackground
The long-running Washington tournament was seeking continued commercial and sporting development under changing media and sponsorship conditions.
Action taken
Mark Ein acquired the event and subsequently partnered with IMG in its ownership and management.
Aftermath
The tournament returned to the US Open Series and extended its Tennis Channel media-rights relationship.
2015
Withdrawal from the US Open Series and new media agreementStrategyBackground
Organizers disagreed with the limited linear television coverage proposed under ESPN's US Open Series rights arrangement.
Action taken
The tournament left the US Open Series and reached a four-year, $2.1 million media agreement with Tennis Channel.
Aftermath
The agreement promised substantially more television coverage and helped finance additional venue amenities.
Media-rights agreement value. $2.1 million (Four-year agreement announced in 2015)
2012
Consolidation of men's and women's eventsStrategyBackground
The women's event had debuted separately in College Park, Maryland, in 2011.
Action taken
The ATP and WTA competitions were combined at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C.
Aftermath
The event became a joint men's and women's tournament, with Citigroup replacing Legg Mason as title sponsor.
1986
Change from clay courts to hard courtsGeneration changeBackground
The tournament had historically been played on outdoor clay courts while operating as a summer professional event.
Action taken
Organizers changed the playing surface to outdoor hard courts.
Aftermath
The hard-court format became a lasting part of the tournament's identity and aligned it with the North American lead-up to the US Open.
Sources2 sources
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