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.

Ben Shelton identified fellow American Frances Tiafoe as a formidable threat to the tennis field, despite Tiafoe currently being ranked just outside the top 10 at world No 11. Shelton emphasized the danger Tiafoe poses if he maintains his recent form, saying, “That’s scary for the rest of the field. He’ll even say it himself.”

The pair clashed in the quarter-finals of the Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 event, with Shelton edging a close 7-6(2), 6-4 victory. Shelton’s win marked a turnaround from their previous encounter at last year’s US Open, giving him a 3-1 lead in their personal rivalry.

Reflecting on Tiafoe’s progress, Shelton remarked, “He’s one of those guys who can turn the switch on whenever he wants it, and you guys are seeing more and more weeks every year that he’s playing his brand of tennis, really good tennis. He used to be a guy who’d show up in the American hard-court swing and a few other times during the year, and those would be his big moments. The guy’s making quarterfinals at Roland Garros now, and people are in trouble.”

Tiafoe achieved a career-high ranking of No 10 in mid-2023 and recently reached his first French Open quarter-final, where he lost to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in four sets. With two semi-final appearances in three Grand Slam events, Tiafoe will be defending a significant 720 points at the upcoming US Open.

During their match in Washington, Shelton proved the more consistent player, winning 90% of his first serve points and 68% on his second. He created 10 break points compared to Tiafoe’s single opportunity, underscoring his dominance on crucial moments.

Analysing his performance, Shelton said, “I think obviously this court does a lot for my serve. The ability to get the ball out of the zone is huge, especially against a guy like Foe, who is so good in the pocket. So my ability for my flat serves not only to be coming in at 145 but also rising above his shoulders is huge. Second serve, too. He’s one of the best in the world when he’s locked in, attacking second serves and making you feel like you’re on the back foot, taking a second serve and coming to the net. My winning percentage on second serve was probably the highest that it’s ever been against him. My aggressive brand of serving, and then I was willing to take chances on the return of serve, and I executed a lot. So I think that combination was kind of tough to deal with in these conditions.”

Shelton’s next opponent will be Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who secured a win over top seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals. Davidovich Fokina holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Shelton, with victories in the 2023 Paris and 2025 Monte Carlo Masters tournaments.

Emma Raducanu has identified significant advancements in her game since reaching her last hard-court semifinal some 33 months ago at Seoul in 2022. The British player showcased her growth with a notable quarterfinal victory over Maria Sakkari at the 2025 Citi DC Open, prevailing 6-4, 7-5 despite a challenging second set that saw her trail 5-2 and endure a medical check-up.

“I think 2022, the last semis I made in Seoul, the quality of opponents I have just beaten here is a lot higher, and I think also the way the tournament has moved on, every match is a lot more difficult,” Raducanu analyzed in her post-match press conference. “I’d say it’s a completely different era of tennis, and I’m playing a lot better to try and match that.”

She credited three main areas for her improvement: competitiveness, serve, and defensive skills. Raducanu said, “I think the areas I have improved I think, one, my competitiveness. I think that’s one of my bigger strengths when I am focused and in the zone. And I think that’s something I found a lot more from, you know, March this year. I think I have been a lot more focused and competitive for each point and not being flat or defeated.”

On her serve, she noted, “The last few matches I have been getting a lot more free points. I know, like, whenever I have played well or had great results, that’s been working really well.”

Regarding her defensive game, Raducanu added, “Movement of my defensive skills have probably been the biggest improvement. I think I’m able to kind of dig out some points and stay in the points and use a bit more hand skills, slice, get an extra ball back. I think it tends, not every point, but some really important moments, it can help. I think that has improved the most.”

Raducanu’s 2025 season has marked a return to consistency, with 21 match wins, her career best in a single year outside team events. Her ranking is expected to climb from 46th to 32nd following her Washington run.

However, concerns arose with Raducanu requiring medical checks during her match and retiring from the doubles semifinal, citing the oppressive heat and humidity as factors. She described the conditions: “I think the humidity here, as well, it just makes it feel completely like you have just opened an oven and it just stayed open and your head is in there. That’s how it feels.”

Raducanu will face Russian Anna Kalinskaya in the semifinals after Kalinskaya defeated Clara Tauson.