(July 18, 2019) Coco Gauff, the 15-year-old American tennis sensation who captured worldwide attention with her star-making run at Wimbledon, is poised to make her first post-Wimbledon tennis appearance in the U.S. at the Citi Open which will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, D.C., from July 27-August 4.
Gauff still awaits a potential spot in the qualifying tournament of the Citi Open set to begin play on Saturday, July 27 with the hopes of winning two matches to advance to the main draw which runs from July 29-August 4. Gauff, who has signed up for qualifying, must use her pre-Wimbledon ranking of No. 313 for entry into the qualifying draw which will be finalized at 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, July 26.
If she does not earn a place for the qualifying tournament, she plans to practice onsite and participate in a fan meet and greet event on Saturday, July 27, and, on Sunday, July 28, and will play a practice match on Stadium Court on Sunday, July 28, for all fans in attendance.
Under either scenario, Gauff will be the host of the Citi Open Kids’ Day powered by Net Generation on Sunday, July 28 and will hold a press event on Thursday, July 25 or Friday, July 26.
“Coco’s story is a perfect fit with the history and mission of our tournament and, as potentially the next great American star, she also embodies our future and our reimagination of this storied tennis event” said Mark Ein, Chairman of MDE Tennis who took over management rights for the Citi Open earlier this year. “Coco’s fairytale run at Wimbledon captured the hearts of fans worldwide and Washington D.C. cannot wait to host her first post-Wimbledon tennis appearance back in the United States at the Citi Open. We hope she gets into the qualifying but if not, we will provide our community and her fans a great opportunity to meet her and watch her play and practice as she prepares for the US Open.”
As a 15-year-old player, Gauff is eligible to compete in up to 14 WTA or ITF Pro Circuit tournaments. After receiving three wild card entries earlier this year, Gauff is not eligible to accept any additional wild cards into WTA or ITF Pro Circuit events until her 16th birthday in March 2020 under the WTA Age Eligibility Rule.
Qualifying sessions at the Citi Open are scheduled for Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28. Admission is free for all kids age 10 and under for the Citi Open Kids’ Day powered by Net Generation on Sunday, July 28, which runs from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Main Draw action kicks off on Monday, July 29 and concludes on Sunday, August 4 with the championship finals. Tickets, starting as low as $15 for the qualifying sessions and $25 for main draw sessions, can be purchased here at www.CitiOpenTennis.com.
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