Washington: Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal will debut in a major Washington, DC competition later this summer, Citi Open chairman Mark Ein said on Thursday. “We are thrilled to welcome Rafael Nadal, who is not just one of the greatest tennis players of all-time, but also a global sporting icon and inspiring role model to our Washington community this summer,” Ein said in a statement. The Citi Open will be held from July 31 to August 8 in the US capital for the 52nd year running. Nadal, who currently ranks world number three, boasts 20 Grand Slam titles. He has won two Olympic gold medals along with 88 ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) single titles throughout his career. “I am very excited to come to Washington for the first time,” he said. “I have never been there and it’s one more place I wanted to come and play.” On the way to his 89th ATP title, Nadal will have to contend with several other top players, including Russian world No.29 Karen Khachanov and Canadian No.12 Denis Shapovalov. Washington’s tournament still has five wildcards remaining to be announced before and during the 2021 Tokyo Olympic games, organizers said.
