DC champions return home in Mubadala DC Citi Open

WASHINGTON — The Mubadala Citi DC Open welcomed tennis champions from all over the world, but also brought a couple of homegrown D.C. stars back for a weekend in the District. 

The tennis superstars competing in the tournament are full of inspiration for young players, including 17-year-old D.C. native Clervie Ngounoue, who grew up walking to tournament courts. Now she’s returned to them as the reigning junior Wimbledon singles champion.

"[Ngounoue] pulled off a huge upset on Saturday, beat our number one seed in qualifying, the 37th ranked person in the world, and killed her," Tournament Chairman Mark Ein said. 

"It's exciting to see some of our hometown, homegrown heroes here," said Lauren Hoffman of the United States Tennis Association. "It's really special and there’s a lot of pride in the mid-Atlantic, so we’re super excited for what's to come."

It isn't just the aspect of watching homegrown players play on their home courts that excites the fans. 

"You can sit in a match for an hour and a half and it feels like 30 minutes go by -- you're always on the edge of your seat," said fan Zoryana Kostyuk.

Ein, a new part-owner of the Washington Commanders, said he took over the tournament in 2019 to remake the experience for fans. He remembers working at the tournament years ago as a ball kid.

"I think it's just a wonderful sport and the lessons you learn on the court in tennis are ones that stick with you for a lifetime," he said. "Even if you don’t become a pro player, just the discipline, the hard work, the fair play, all the things that go into just being as good as you can you can use whatever you do in your life."

Fans still have a chance to see world-class tennis at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. The tournament closes on Aug. 6.