In a challenging year shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rafael Nadal’s appearance at the 2021 Citi DC Open marked a significant and memorable moment for the tournament. Mark Ein, tournament director, shared insights about Nadal’s participation and the unique arrangements behind it.

Nadal, recovering from a foot injury that forced him out of Wimbledon, accepted a reduced yet fair appearance fee as the tournament operated under COVID restrictions with only half the stands filled. “His team actually called and said: ‘He wants to play DC, tell us what is fair, and we will take it. He needs to play,’” Ein revealed on the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast.

The tournament, which occupies a difficult spot on the calendar, typically sees Nadal take an extended break after the grass-court Grand Slam. His decision to compete was therefore notable and sparked tremendous interest. Fans eagerly bought out tickets, with a waiting list of 15,000 people. Ein described the atmosphere: “The whole town is buzzing, our community is buzzing… The level of interest in this event [was] unprecedented in our five decades of this tournament.”

Nadal’s matches provided thrilling tennis despite his injury concerns. He edged out Jack Sock in a three-hour battle before falling to Lloyd Harris in the second round. His practice sessions were highly attended, providing essential financial support for the event, which had been canceled in 2020.

In appreciation of Nadal’s trust and the positive impact on the event, Ein later increased his appearance fee beyond the initial offer. “I literally called and just said I am going to give you a meaningful amount more because I want to keep in the spirit of being fair… It was amazing,” Ein said.

Since Nadal’s 2021 participation, the Citi DC Open has expanded its stature, becoming the only joint-500-level tournament on both the ATP and WTA tours, reflecting its growing prestige and appeal.

Toni Nadal has reportedly declined an offer to coach world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, citing significant time commitments with his current roles. Nadal, the uncle of Rafael Nadal and inaugural director of the Rafa Nadal Academy since 2016, was seen practicing with Zverev at the academy in Mallorca two weeks after the German’s early Wimbledon exit.

Nadal also serves as the tournament director of the ATP 250 event held in Mallorca, responsibilities that reportedly consume much of the 64-year-old’s schedule. Despite turning down the coaching offer, Rafael Nadal personally assured Zverev that he is welcome to use the academy’s facilities anytime.

Zverev’s Wimbledon campaign ended abruptly with a first-round loss to Arthur Rinderknech. Displaying signs of nervousness and passivity at critical moments, the two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion indicated openness to adding another coach alongside his father during his post-match press conference, stating, “Possibly. As I said, yeah, it’s a different feeling right now for me. I can’t speak for the moment. But I think I’ll have answers by Canada.”

Toni Nadal provided a clear assessment of Zverev’s struggles: “Zverev, it’s a mental problem… For me, he has to change. When he changes, he has everything.”

He elaborated by referencing Zverev’s 2023 Roland Garros final versus Carlos Alcaraz, emphasizing the importance of mental focus: “This is a moment when you have to put a lot of attention… He can win, but to win is a thing about mentality… If he wants to win and have chances to win a Grand Slam, he needs to change a little his mentality.”

Zverev described his recent time at the academy positively: “A very good week… I’ve had lot of help from Toni and from Rafa as well… The academy is very beautiful, Mallorca, in general, is very beautiful. Especially in summer, it’s very, very hot, so I enjoyed my time and I’m ready to go to the United States now.”

Zverev is next scheduled to compete at the Canadian Masters (July 27 – August 7), where he will face either Benjamin Bonzi or Adam Walton in the second round.

Alexander Bublik has extended his remarkable clay-court form with a victory at the Kitzbuhel tournament, securing his third title of the year and second in consecutive weeks. Riding an impressive eight-match winning streak, Bublik defeated Arthur Cazaux in the final, winning 6-4, 6-3. This marked a repeat encounter after their clash just days earlier in Gstaad, where Bublik also emerged victorious.

The top seed’s performance was marked by resilience, saving four of five break points to close out the match. Reflecting on the challenging conditions and schedule, Bublik remarked, “I can’t believe I did it as it was probably one of the toughest weeks in my life because coming from Gstaad, playing here, different conditions and raining. I used the few chances I had and I am happy to have won.”

This season, Bublik has demonstrated consistent excellence, owning a perfect 3-0 record in tour-level finals. Along with back-to-back clay titles in Gstaad and Kitzbuhel, he also claimed the Halle championship in June by defeating Daniil Medvedev. Notably, Bublik reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, which has helped him climb significantly in the rankings—from outside the Top 80 in March to now projected inside the Top 25.

Looking ahead, Bublik is slated to compete next at the Cincinnati Open after withdrawing from the Toronto Masters 1000 event. His recent surge positions him as a player to watch during the North American hard-court season and bolsters his prospects of being seeded at the US Open.