Rublev, Shelton and more stars to watch in Washington | ATP Tour

Scouting Report

Rublev, Shelton and more figures to watch in Washington

Everything you need to know about the ATP 500 in DC

July 27, 2024

The hard courts of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington will host the only ATP Tour event of the week. The ATP 500 will feature top seed Andrey Rublev and a host of American stars, led by Ben Shelton and local hero Frances Tiafoe.

ATPTour.com looks at five key storylines from the US event.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN WASHINGTON
1) Rublev in recovery mode: After snapping a four-match losing streak in Umag, Rublev had a solid week to reach the semi-finals on European clay. It will be a quick switch to American hard courts, but Rublev will be full of confidence after finding victory again.

2) Shelton leads the American charge: The popular 21-year-old will be the highest-ranked American in Washington. After rising to No. 1 in the U.S. following his title in Houston in April, Shelton is now No. 3 in his country at No. 14 in the world. Following a first-round loss to Chinese star Juncheng Shang last year in Washington, he will be seeking his first win at the event. (Shang also beat Shelton last week in Atlanta.)

3) The wait for a local champion: It’s been 17 years since an American lifted the Washington title, when Andy Roddick beat John Isner in the 2007 final. But a number of candidates could soon break that streak, including Sebastian Korda, Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen and Reilly Opelka. Tiafoe is a fan favorite around the world, but especially in DC, as he hails from nearby Hyattsville, Maryland.

4) Khachanov and Mannarino looking to recover: Ranked 22 and 32 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Karen Khachanov and Adrian Mannarino have struggled to find their best tennis in recent months. Khachanov won the Doha title in February, his sixth tour-level title, but has not posted multiple wins at the same event since Rome. Mannarino is 8-18 this season and comes to Atlanta on a six-match losing streak. Both will be seeded in Washington, fueling hopes that they can live up to expectations and break out of their slumps.

5) Heliovaara/Patten lead the doubles draw: Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Britain’s Henry Patten are among the top contenders in doubles in Washington, along with Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, as well as Jamie Murray and Michael Venus. Heliovaara and Patten face a tough opening match against Shelton and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig, ranked No. 20 in doubles.