Scouting Report: Fan favourites Rublev, Shelton, Tiafoe headline Washington field
The hard courts of the Mubadala Citi DC Open will host the lone ATP Tour event of the week in Washington. The ATP 500 field includes top seed Andrey Rublev and a host of American stars, led by Ben Shelton and local hero Frances Tiafoe.
ATPTour.com breaks down five key storylines at the American event.
[ATP APP]FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN WASHINGTON
1) Rublev On A Roll?: After breaking a four-match losing streak in Umag, Rublev put together a strong week to reach the semi-finals on the European clay. It will be a quick turnaround to the American hard courts, but Rublev will be full of confidence after earning his way back into the win column.
2) Shelton Leads American Charge: The popular 21-year-old will be the top-ranked American in Washington. Having rose to U.S. No. 1 behind his Houston title in April, Shelton is now the American No. 3 at World No. 14. After a first-round loss to #NextGenATP Chinese star Shang Juncheng last year in Washington, he will be seeking his first wins at the event. (Shang also beat Shelton last week in Atlanta.)
3) The Wait For A Home Champ: It has been 17 years since an American lifted the Washington title, with Andy Roddick beating John Isner in the 2007 final. But a host of candidates could soon snap that streak, including Sebastian Korda, Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen and Reilly Opelka. Tiafoe is a fan favourite all around the world, but especially in D.C., as a native of nearby Hyattsville, Maryland.
4) Khachanov, Mannarino Seek Turnarounds: At No. 22 and No. 32 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Karen Khachanov and Adrian Mannarino have both struggled to find their best tennis in recent months. Khachanov won the Doha title in February, his sixth tour-level crown, but has not recorded multiple wins at the same event since Rome. Mannarino is 8-18 this season and enters Atlanta on six-match losing streak. Both players will be seeded in Washington, fuelling hopes they can live up to that billing and snap out of their slumps.
5) Heliovaara/Patten Lead Doubles Draw: Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Great Britain’s Henry Patten are among the top doubles contenders in Washington, along with Aussies Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, as well as Jamie Murray and Michael Venus. Heliovaara and Patten face a tough opening matchup against Shelton and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig, the No. 20 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]