Schedule / Preview 2024 DC Open Day Three - Wednesday 31 July including Sabalenka, Rublev, Raducanu-Stearns, Shelton

Wednesday, 31 July 2024 at 11:30

The schedule is confirmed and another day is upon us at the DC Open (Mubadala Citi DC Open for sponsorship reasons) with Wednesday 31 July seeing a myriad of top names finally in action. Our preview looks ahead to Day Three in Washington and the top ties.

Most of the top names who have yet to star their campaigns in Washington will do so on Wednesday. Including Aryna Sabalenka and Andrey Rublev. Ben Shelton also stars as does Emma Raducanu.

Sabalenka, Rublev and Shelton star on Stadium court

It is a stacked schedule for Wednesday with Amanda Anisimova starting it off. After defeating Sloane Stephens in one of the ties of the opening round, she returns to face off against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the seventh seed. A real power match-up, it will be a real test as to whether Anisimova is back on form after coming through qualifying.

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Alex Michelsen, one of USA's next home hopes follows. The rising star and 15th seed faces off against Mattia Bellucci, the Italian ace. Andrey Rublev aims to finally get some matches in. he follows on and faces the tough Frenchman, Luca van Assche.

Before another top seed also takes to the court in Aryna Sabalenka. She has not played since pre Wimbledon where she had to withdraw with a shoulder injury. Whether it is better likely won't be ascertained until she gets onto the court, but she faces Kamilla Rakhimova to open. Ben Shelton then concludes proceedings against Radu Albot.

Aryna Sabalenka is back in action tonight.

Raducanu-Stearns headlines remaining schedule

On the other courts, it is mainly Emma Raducanu v Peyton Stearns which is the tie to watch. The former had jet lag supposedly which hindered her during her win over Elise Mertens. She will hope now to have shaken that off.

If she doesn't though, she could be in for a rude awakening against the ever pumped up Stearns who was one of the nominees for WTA Newcomer last year and became a title winner for the first time earlier this summer in Rabat. After a poor grass court season, she will hope to return to the hard court grind back home and will hope to take the scalp of the former US Open winner.

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Karen Khachanov, Daria Kasatkina and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina are also among the leading lights. As is Reilly Opelka who has been gaining steam in his long awaited comeback. He faces Jordan Thompson in one of the best ATP matches of the day on paper.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is also in action. As are Korda and Michelsen and Tiafoe and Kokkinakis in doubles. A week that has seen some interesting doubles tandems adds a few more.

Recent Winners and Notable Past Champions

Men's Singles:

2023: Daniel Evans defeated Tallon Griekspoor (7-5, 6-3).
2022: Nick Kyrgios defeated Yoshihito Nishioka (6-4, 6-3).
2019: Nick Kyrgios defeated Daniil Medvedev (7-6(6), 7-6(4)).

Andre Agassi holds the record for the most titles at this tournament, with five wins (1990-91, 1995, 1998-99).

Women's Singles:

2023: Coco Gauff defeated Maria Sakkari (6-2, 6-3).
2022: Liudmila Samsonova defeated Kaia Kanepi (4-6, 6-3, 6-3).
2019: Jessica Pegula defeated Camila Giorgi (6-2, 6-2).

Magdalena Rybarikova has been a notable champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.

Historical Significance and Impact

The tournament has been a platform for many prominent tennis players, including Ken Rosewall, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andy Roddick, and the Williams sisters. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments in tennis, with a history dating back to its founding by Ashe, Donald Dell, and John A. Harris.