Teenage tennis star Cori “Coco” Gauff claimed the international spotlight when she defeated Venus Williams in straight sets in the first round of Wimbledon. Gauff became the youngest player since 1991 to win in the first round of the ladies’ singles with her victory over the five-time Wimbledon champion.
Gauff’s fairytale Grand Slam debut ultimately came to an end in the fourth round against eventual Wimbledon champion Simona Halep. While the tennis world regarded Gauff as a rising talent prior to the tournament, she caught the world’s attention when she claimed victory over Williams, an athlete she cited as an inspiration in her young career.
Now, Gauff is set to make her first post-Wimbledon tennis appearance in the US at DC’s Citi Open. The tournament will take place from July 27–August 4 at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
Whether or not Gauff will play in the tournament is up in the air as of now—she must enter the qualifying draw using her pre-Wimbledon women’s singles ranking of 313 for entry into the qualify draw for the Citi Open. Following her run at Wimbledon, Gauff saw a meteoric rise in rankings, entering the top 150.
If Gauff is picked for the qualifying draw, which takes place July 26 at 4 PM, she will begin play in the qualifying sessions on July 27.
Even if Gauff does not play, Washingtonians will still have a chance to see the teenage sensation. Gauff is scheduled to host the tournament’s Kids’ Day on July 28 and will participate in a fan event on July 27 if she does not qualify for the tournament.
Other notable names appearing at the 2019 Citi Open include world no. 9 Sloane Stephens, John Isner, and Hyattsville native Frances Tiafoe.
Tickets start at $15 for qualifying sessions and $25 for main draw sessions, and can be purchased here.
Madeline Rundlett is an editorial fellow for Washingtonian. She previously covered All-Met sports for the Washington Post and was an editorial intern at The Hill. Madeline graduated from the George Washington University with a degree in Political Communication in 2019.
