Full Capacity For Citi Open Fans Allowed In Rock Creek Park

WASHINGTON, DC — The 2021 Citi Open will be held at 100-percent fan capacity at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center from July 31 to Aug. 8, tournament organizers announced Thursday.

The switch from the original plan of 50-percent capacity came after the National Park Service, which manages Rock Creek Park, issued updated COVID-19 guidelines for the site, and a month after Washington, D.C. officials lifted all capacity restrictions.

"We are thrilled to be able to invite fans back to Rock Creek Park at full capacity,” said Mark Ein, Citi Open chairman and CEO of MDE Tennis, which acquired managing rights to the tournament from the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation in 2019.

“We are grateful to the National Park Service for their long-standing partnership with the event and enabling full capacity for the 2021 Citi Open,” Ein said.

The change in fan capacity also will allow organizers to restore full tournament prize money.

In order to hold the event at the initial 50 percent fan capacity limit, players agreed to a 40-percent pay reduction. With all fan restrictions lifted and before any additional tickets are sold, MDE Sports increased the total 2021 Citi Open prize money by $750,000, returning the tournament purse to pre-pandemic levels.

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The return to 100-percent fan capacity follows the recent announcement that tennis great Rafael Nadal will be playing in the Citi Open later this month for his first time.

The tournament’s waitlist for tickets exceeded 6,300 names before fan restrictions were lifted Thursday morning. The revised capacity guidelines have allowed tournament officials to release approximately 3,000 additional daily seats to meet the demand at the box office for the event.

These tickets will be made available first to fans currently on, or who join, the waitlist on a full tournament basis. To provide greater accessibility, the tournament has reserved a small number of individual session tickets that will be available for sale next week.

To join the waitlist for full-tournament tickets, email tickets@MDEtennis.com or call 202-721-9500 or visit citiopentennis.com.