Home » TIMag.com news » Courts/Lighting » Har-Tru to Sponsor Citi Open, Providing New Hard-Court Surface

Har-Tru to Sponsor Citi Open, Providing New Hard-Court Surface

Har-Tru will sponsor the historic Citi Open® Tournament, held annually in Washington D.C.’s Rock Creek Park. The four-year arrangement, which starts this year, provides the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center with new hard court surfacing for the event and Har-Tru clay court material for the community courts at the facility.

The tournament has a deep and rich 52-year history. It was played on Har-Tru clay courts until 1986, when the competition switched to a hard-court surface. This year, the Citi Open will be played on a best in class hard court surface made by Har-Tru.

Founded in 1969 to support Arthur Ashe’s vision of playing a pro tennis tournament in a public park fully accessible to everyone, Citi became the event’s title sponsor in 2011, ushering in the Citi Open Era of the tournament. Today, the Citi Open is the only ATP 500 event in the U.S. and the longest-running U.S. pro tournament in its original location.

In 2019, MDE Sports, owned and led by D.C. philanthropist and entrepreneur Mark Ein, took over management and reimagined the historic tournament experience for players and fans. Ein was a ball boy at the tournament as a kid and frequently says the experience changed his life.

“My personal experience as a fan, ball boy, and now CEO of the tournament, convinced me long ago of the awesome power of tennis to transform kids’ lives,” said Ein. “The Citi Open really is Arthur Ashe’s dream come true. And I hope that spirit shines through for the players and fans who take part in this special event in our nation’s capital.”

“We’re excited to be back at the Citi Open to introduce our hard courts to a new generation of players and fans,” said Pat Hanssen, president of Har-Tru. “At the same time, it’s very fulfilling to support the Rock Creek Tennis Center community. We believe it’s important for players to have an opportunity to train and play on clay, and this sponsorship allows us to help them do that.”

The Citi Open Tournament will be held Aug. 1-7, 2022.

Posted on April 19, 2022
Permalink