Mubadala Citi DC Open Chairman Mark Ein and stars Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton discuss the impact and evolution of the tournament attracting some of the biggest names in tennis.
Since the legendary Arthur Ashe helped found the DC Open in 1969, the tournament at the District’s Rock Creek Park has been home to tennis’ best and brightest as a star-studded tuneup before the US Open in late August.
Last year, the tournament became the only one in the world at a 500 level for both the ATP men’s tour and the WTA women’s circuit, and one of just 10 annual tournaments where both tours compete at the same time in one place. It also marked the first year that Mubadala joined Citi as the tournament’s co-leading sponsor.
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Mubadala Citi DC Open owner and chairman Mark Ein has been in charge since 2019, the culmination of a journey where tennis was a major part of his life. Growing up 10 minutes from the grounds, Ein was a tournament ballboy as a child, attended as a fan, and joined the Open’s foundation before entering his current role.
“This tournament really has been woven into the fabric of Washington summer life for over five decades, with millions of people in the DMV it’s impacted from an early age,” Ein told Boardroom. “I have a firsthand experience of how deeply and profoundly this tournament can impact someone’s life. Having the honor to be the caretaker for the event is one of the biggest honors and obligations of my life.”
One of those people impacted by the tournament during their childhood is DMV native Frances Tiafoe. The 26-year-old star is competing in DC this week along with Andrey Rublev, Ben Shelton, and Sebastian Korda on the men’s side, and the No. 3-ranked player in the world Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur, and Emma Raducanu on the women’s side.
“This tournament means everything to me. It’s the reason why I play pro tennis,” Tiafoe told Boardroom on Monday from DC. “It was the first time I’ve seen pro tennis players live. I used to hop the fence as a kid to come up into this tournament. It’s a tournament that really means a lot to me, and one I really want to win.”
Tiafoe still remembers his first time playing at Rock Creek at 16, being super nervous to step on the court he revered so much growing up. He said he feels the responsibility to show out and perform well for local kids of color who aren’t your normal tennis fans and only really get exposed to the sport live in DC.
“I want to be a big pioneer to help more people like us play the game of tennis,” Tiafoe added.
After exploding onto the scene last year, the 21-year-old Shelton said he feels the energy the DMV fans bring to his matches.
“The fans that you get here are great,” Shelton told Boardroom. “The support for American tennis is huge, and they just have a large tennis community. So playing here is always fun no matter what, whether doubles, singles, stadium court, outside court. I seem to feel the love here just as much as anywhere else, so it’s a place for me that I love playing and hopefully I’ll be back here for many years.”
The tournament has sold out four years in a row, with this year’s edition selling out two weeks before it began, Ein said. He’s been working tirelessly in his capacity to improve the DC Open for players, fans, partners, and the community as a whole, including what he called an initiative that “completely reinvented, revolutionized, and re-energized the entire fan and player and sponsor experience.”
That includes more indoor, air-conditioned spaces for everyone, five Michelin-starred chefs providing culinary offerings, mic’d-up players in doubles for the first time as part of an ATP pilot program, and a positive environment for fans whether they arrive at 11 a.m. or leave at 2 a.m.
“This tournament touches a lot of people,” Ein said, “and I just want to make sure that it’s a world-class experience for everyone.”
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