Francis Tiafoe and Usue Arconada will compete for a chance to qualify for the Citi Open
The US’ top amateur tennis players will have a chance to compete in one of the most competitive professional tennis tournaments in the world.
The Citi Open®, the Nation’s Capital Tennis Tradition, and the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC), one of the leading training facilities in the country, are proud to announce the Citi Open® Wild Card Challenge. The Challenge consists of a men’s singles tournament and a women’s singles tournament. The two winners will receive highly coveted singles qualifying wild card entries to the Citi Open, part of the prestigious Emirates Airline US Open Series.
The Wild Card Challenge will be held Saturday, June 14, to Tuesday, June 17, at the Junior Tennis Champions Center at College Park. It is open to all United States Tennis Association (USTA) members, ages 14 and over.
One of the goals and missions of the Wild Card Challenge is to provide a platform to develop champions on and off the court. “The Citi Open Wild Card Challenge provides the next step for our best young players to test their competitive level in the professional circuit,” said Ray Benton, CEO of JTCC.
The Challenge also demonstrates the Citi Open tournament’s strong commitment to community development in the DC region.
“This tournament has been around for 46 years and has seen many players turn into legends,” said Citi Open tournament director, Jeff Newman. “Washington, D.C., has been a launching pad for some of America’s greats, like Andy Roddick, James Blake, Andre Agassi, and John Isner. We’re excited to see what the Challenge players are capable of and look forward to watching them compete in the future.”
Two of JTCC’s champion players will be competing in the local qualifier:
- Francis Tiafoe, 16, is currently No. 2 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) boys rankings. He is the youngest-ever winner of the Orange Bowl International championship in the 18-under division, one of the most prestigious junior tournaments in the world. Most recently, Tiafoe won the Easter Bowl in April and will be seeded #1 at the upcoming Junior French Open.
- Usue Arconada, 15, received a wild card entry to the Citi Open last year, where she won her first professional match in the first qualifying round. She was a finalist at the Ecuador Grade 1 ITF tournament and was recently named to the U.S. Junior FedCup team. She currently ranks No. 33 in the world.
To register for the Wild Card Challenge, please visit the USTA registration page.
For media inquiries, contact Jenn Haber, jhaber@qorvis.com.
