Moutet, a 26-year-old Frenchman who earned that label after losing in qualifying but taking Holger Rune’s spot in the tournament when he withdrew, made an impressive march to the semifinals, defeating 2023 champion Dan Evans in the Round of 16 and No. 8 seed and 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals.

But No. 7 seed de Minaur, a 26-year-old Australian, refused to be Moutet’s next conquered opponent and cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 victory in 1 hour, 45 minutes on Saturday night at Rock Creek Tennis Center.

In a post-match interview with the Tennis Channel, de Minaur pointed out how he did not take Moutet for granted considering his path to the semifinals.

“We all saw what he did yesterday,” de Minaur said. “Today, I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty, but I did what I needed to do to get to the finals here.”

De Minaur advanced to his second singles final of the year and 19th of his career. He is 9-9 in his previous finals appearances, winning his last title on June 10, 2024, at ’s-Hertogenbosch.

De Minaur will play in Sunday’s final at 5:30 p.m. against No. 12 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who upset No. 4 seed Ben Shelton.

Both de Minaur and Moutet held their opening serves. De Minaur had a chance to break with the score tied at 1-1, but Moutet warded him off.

De Minaur got a second break point opportunity during Moutet’s next serve, but Moutet kept him at bay again. But on Moutet’s next service game, back-to-back backhand errors gave de Minaur the opening he needed to finish off the first set.

The initial setback elicited some frustration from Moutet. First, he spiked his racquet off the hardcourt and then broke the racquet over his knee. That second outburst earned him a warning for racquet abuse.

Leylah Fernandez and Anna Kalinskaya advance to DC Open women’s final

De Minaur took advantage of Moutet’s emotional display by breaking him in his first two service games and sprinting to a 4-0 lead. Although Moutet later broke de Minaur twice, de Minaur also broke Moutet twice, including using a Moutet double fault on match point to cement the triumph.

De Minaur attacked the net, winning 17 of 21 points there. He said being aggressive was part of his strategy.

“He’s got amazing wheels,” he said of Moutet. “He can extend rallies forever and ever. But I do feel that at times, you can kind of sneak in on his backhand side and kind of make him pass off the slice. And if he does, too good. But yet again, he managed to play some good points when I came in at the very end, throwing in some deep lobs and hitting some pretty amazing passing shots. Ultimately that was the game plan, and I was going to back that until the very last point.”

Shelton falls short

Ben Shelton, the last American hope at the DC Open, is out.

Shelton, the 22-year-old Atlanta native who was the tournament’s No. 4 seed, might have envisioned joining Sebastian Korda, another American who captured last year’s DC Open title. But Shelton ran into No. 12 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who pulled off a 6-2, 7-5 upset in a swift 1 hour, 19 minutes late Friday night.

Davidovich Fokina, a 26-year-old Spaniard, should have been the more exhausted of the two. He needed three sets to upend No. 1 seed Taylor Fritz, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5, in a quarterfinal match that did not end until 1:55 a.m. on Saturday.

Davidovich Fokina told the Tennis Channel afterwards how he regained his energy for Saturday’s semifinal.

“I went to Starbucks and got coffee,” he said. “I relaxed, slept again, and then came back here two hours before the first semifinal. … I felt a lot of energy, and I think I showed today that I had a lot of energy and am good for tomorrow.”

Although Shelton defeated No. 6 seed Frances Tiafoe, 7-6 (2), 6-4, earlier on Friday, he stumbled midway through the first set. Davidovich Fokina broke Shelton in back-to-back service games to turn a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 lead that the latter could not overcome.

In the second set, Davidovich Fokina broke Shelton again to take a 4-3 lead. After each player held serve, Shelton turned the tables by breaking Davidovich Fokina to knot the score at 5-5.

But Davidovich Fokina got the break back on a precise forehand passing shot that eluded Shelton’s outstretched racquet. Davidovich Fokina then served out the match.

Despite Shelton’s reputation as one of the more fearsome servers in the sport today, Davidovich Fokina removed the intimidation factor by getting his racquet on the ball.

“Ben is a top-10 player. He’s one of the best servers right now,” Davidovich Fokina told the Tennis Channel, noting that the ball is slower on the hardcourts than the grass at Wimbledon earlier this month. “For me, it was easier for me to return the serve.”

Davidovich Fokina will play in his fourth singles final and is seeking his first championship. This will be his third finals appearance of the year after finishing runner-up at the Delray Beach Open and Mexican Open in February.

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

Williams joked that of the “712 boxes” that are still packed, one contains his baseball glove and ball. He said that he asked Terps baseball coach Matt Swope for some practice time to warm up his arm.

“I’m predicting I won’t throw it in the dirt,” he quipped before adding that the players are supposed to join him on the mound. “I want them to experience it, too.”

It has been a whirlwind three months since Williams — who turns 53 on Sept. 1 — was hired April 1 to succeed Kevin Willard after the latter turned the team’s run to the Sweet 16 in March into an almost-daily speculation of his tenure at Maryland until he left for Villanova two days after the Terps’ loss to eventual national champion Florida.

In a 25-minute interview with The Baltimore Sun inside the players’ lounge inside Xfinity Center, Williams touched on topics such as his decision to leave Texas A&M despite leading that program to three NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons, the challenges of replenishing a depleted roster and his thoughts on the NCAA’s House settlement that is expected to give universities up to $20.5 million to distribute among its athletes.

Editor’s note: Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Considering the turmoil surrounding the Terps after Willard’s departure, why did you agree to take the job?

I think the history of the job, I think the location relative to really good players and really good coaches, I think the history of the program speaks for itself — not just to me, but to all coaches, to all fans. I haven’t been in a game at Xfinity, but I haven’t found one person that hasn’t said it’s an unbelievable homecourt advantage. So on the turmoil [front], honestly, I didn’t know any of it because we were playing, too. And [as a] typical coach, you’re so into your own team and how can you try to win the next game? Some of the things that were going on, I never heard about them until [university president] Dr. [Darryll J.] Pines introduced himself and began to explain some of it, and I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know.’

Did the absence of full-time athletic director before Jim Smith was hired in May give you pause?

I think anything that’s unsettling in college athletics gives everyone pause, and I don’t even say that in a negative way. I really respected Dr. Pines’ transparency. He was telling me things about the turmoil — as you called it — and I didn’t know. For someone who I just met, I had great confidence in who he was as a person by his willingness to be so upfront professionally. To your point, who’s the AD? Is Colleen [Sorem, the interim athletic director who eventually followed previous Maryland athletic director Damon Evans to SMU] going to be the AD? Obviously, Colleen was involved every step of the way with me. She was tremendous. I didn’t know her either, and I loved her energy, I loved how competitive she was. But again, how did the search go and who’s going to be the AD — I stayed out of all of it.

How difficult was the position knowing every returning pIayer on Iast year’s roster had entered the transfer portaI?

At that time, the legislation hadn’t passed. So you don’t even know what the rules are going to be. And everybody was thinking that at any day the litigation was going to be solved. I don’t know. Are we good? I don’t know. Are we bad? I think you just try to do the best you can that late in the cycle relative to the character of the people that you want to be on your team, the work ethic of those individuals. I didn’t want to sign a team full of seniors. You probably can’t sign a team full of freshmen. And you can’t sign all point guards, but you can’t sign all centers. So who’s left? Who can we get involved with? What makes sense for today? What potentially gives us some foundational pieces going forward? So I think the staff did a really good job in regards to who has eligibility remaining for more than a year, who has versatility to do more than one thing. I think we’ll adapt our style of play relative to who’s on our team. I think we’ve always done that. And we’re trying to figure some of that out, literally, when you leave.

How much of the $20.5 million from the NCAA’s House settlement will go to basketball?

I don’t know how it’ll end up shaking out. This is my opinion. … I think that’s probably why there seems to be, even 20 days in, such concern. How does this work? The wording of the ruling, what’s it going to be? So what I think probably doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things, but I feel very confident. I’ve had a couple of interactions with Mr. Smith. I think he started officially last week after the [MLB] All-Star Game, but we’ve been on the road recruiting. Our recruiting period just ended, so I’m meeting with him. My first meeting with him officially, I guess, is Thursday morning. He’s been tremendous.

How would you describe your relationship with Smith? 

I didn’t know him. And as I mentioned to you, I wasn’t involved in any of the [interviews]. I like his energy though. I like that in my interactions, he has the personality to find a way to be successful instead of having a predetermined list on why it won’t work. I think in what this has become, there is no easy answer, and if you’re the person that’s going to bail out when it becomes complex … This state of college athletics is much more complex than I think people realize, and that’s why you see so many opinions. Is it the commissioners? Is it the government? Is it Congress? What’s this going to become? I don’t think anybody knows. And so I think that Mr. Smith’s energy on, ‘We’re going to figure it out, we’re going to keep trying to figure it out,’ I personally think that’s probably what you’re going to need over the next five to 10 years on whatever this is going to become.

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

Williams’ return to tennis got a significant push when she attended Wimbledon for a day.

“When I went to Wimbledon this year, I was there for a day, and it was so beautiful and exciting, and I remembered all the times that I had, and of course the adrenaline, all those things,” she said Sunday morning after a practice session at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. “I think just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge. When you play, you overcome so many challenges — your opponents, the conditions. A lot of times, you have to overcome yourself. Those things are very exciting.”

Williams will scratch that itch at this week’s Mubadala Citi DC Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion will open against Peyton Stearns, the No. 34 player in the world who — at 23 — is nearly half of Williams’ age.

The match against Stearns will be Williams’ first on the Women’s Tennis Association tour in 16 months. She last played in the Miami Open in March 2024 when she lost, 6-4, 6-4, to Diana Shnaider in the first round.

Williams acknowledged that her decision to accept an invitation from Mark Ein, who chairs the DC Open and whom she called “a friend,” was probably a surprise for fans.

“I feel like I have a joke with Mark every year. He’s like, ‘I have a wildcard for you.’ ‘Yeah, maybe I’ll come.’ Most of the time, I don’t,” she said with a laugh. “But this time, I had been hitting the ball. And, of course, I love the game and the hard courts. It’s my favorite surface, what I feel comfortable on.”

Asked why she would put herself through the ordeal of playing in the heat and humidity of a typical Mid-Atlantic summer, Williams quipped, “Why not?”

Tennis was a remote possibility for Williams a year ago. In an interview with NBC News earlier this month, she revealed that for almost 30 years, she had battled fibroids and adenomyosis that contributed to pain, vomiting and bleeding during her playing career.

Last July, Williams underwent an operation to remove the fibroids while preserving her uterus. Within a little more than a month, she said she felt like herself again.

“Yeah, my health journey was very scary,” she said Sunday. “This time a year ago, I was preparing to go to surgery. There was no way for me to play tennis or play the U.S. Open. Those things weren’t even on my mind. I was just trying to get healthy. I wanted to try to play sooner, but I couldn’t. So in any case, here I am. Things really change in a year.”

Ever since Venus and younger sister Serena entered the tennis landscape, they revolutionized the sport through their dominance (30 majors singles titles between them), their fashion and their personalities. Their impact is one reason why younger competitors such as Washington native and world No. 48 Hailey Baptiste welcome the opportunity to witness Venus Williams take to the court once again.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Baptiste, who will play doubles with Williams at this tournament against the American-Canadian duo of Clervie Ngounoue and Eugenie Bouchard. “I’m super excited to see what she’s going to do. Obviously, it’s impressive to be able to be at this level at that age. I have a ton of respect for her — somebody I have looked up to my entire life. It’s exciting.”

Williams called being a role model for future generations of female tennis players “incredible.” But she argued that the next group of players must continue to push the envelope for those who follow them.

“I think that this generation can’t forget that women, we still have lots to fight for and an example to set,” she said. “It’s so important. Of course, I’m in love with tennis. So to have an opportunity to have this platform to promote the game even now is a great opportunity.”

Naturally, Williams’ return has sparked questions about whether Serena might play for the first time since a 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1 loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. On Friday, the younger Williams sister shared a video on social media of her smashing the tennis ball during her heyday.

Venus Williams pleaded ignorance.

“I don’t know what she’s going to do,” she said. “I don’t ask those questions. I think we always hit the ball because that’s who we are. … I keep saying to my team, ‘The only thing that would make this better is if she was here.’ We always did everything together. So, of course, I miss her. But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let y’all know.”

Although this will mark only her second appearance at the DC Open, Williams recalled visiting the tournament when she was 13. She also noted that she gets a chance to spend time with her older sister, cousins and other family members who live in Washington.

“Definitely a love affair with D.C.,” she said.

Williams has sought life outside of tennis. She earned an associate’s degree in fashion design in 2007 and a bachelor’s in business administration in 2015. In May, she joined TNT Sports’ coverage of the French Open, joking that she was “glad I got out of it without being canceled.”

As for the future? Williams remains mum about her plans.

“I’m just here for now, and who knows?” she said. “Maybe there’s more. Like I said, I hold my cards close, but at the moment, I’m focused just on this. I haven’t played in a year. There is no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously, coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things. I definitely feel I’ll play well. I’m still the same player. I’m a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

But when the 23-year-old Washington native was asked to attend Saturday’s unveiling of the men’s and women’s draws for the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, she had some reservations.

“I hate looking at the draw,” she acknowledged more than 30 minutes before the ceremony kicked off at 3 p.m. “I usually never do [look]. [But] they want me there, and it’s my home tournament. So I’ll do it today.”

As much as Baptiste might have hated the exercise, she was the star of the draw. More than 100 fans — standing and seated — crowded a makeshift stage to get a glimpse of the upcoming matches. And when Baptiste was introduced to the crowd, she earned the biggest round of applause and cheers among the handful of speakers who took the microphone.

A few minutes later, Baptiste learned that she will open her stay at the tournament against No. 6 seed Sofia Kenin, a fellow American who captured the 2020 Australian Open and is currently ranked No. 26 in the world.

That is the kind of reception Baptiste has garnered as she has enjoyed her best season to date as a pro. She is currently ranked No. 48 in the world — the highest of her career — owns a 24-16 record this year, and made her deepest run in a Grand Slam when she advanced to the Round of 16 at the French Open in early June.

Baptiste credited her success to an inner resolve that she has tapped into.

“I just think I have a different belief in myself now, a true belief in myself,” she said. “It’s obviously showing, and I’ve got a great team with me. Yeah, I think I can definitely continue to do what I’m doing now and get better.”

One member of that support staff is her coach, Franklin Tiafoe, who is the twin brother of American tennis superstar Frances Tiafoe. Baptiste has known the Tiafoe brothers from her days of playing at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park where the brothers planted their seeds in the sport.

For Baptiste, tennis in Washington has been a gateway to the sport. As a member of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, which is located on the same campus as Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, she recalled watching several Washington Kastles matches and was permitted to play doubles with Venus Williams — who was awarded a wildcard to play in this week’s tournament — when she was 4 or 5 years old.

DC Open: Everything you need to know about star-studded tennis tournament

For someone who had watched matches at the DC Open despite not having a ticket, the tournament has a special place in Baptiste’s heart. She won her first DC Open match in 2019 against Madison Keys, who was a 2017 U.S. Open finalist and 2018 French Open semifinalist at the time.

But even Baptiste was startled to see her face on a marquee promoting the tournament at the venue.

“Just a full-circle moment,” she said. “That wall, I used to hit on for hours when I was a kid, and I have a really good relationship with Mark [Ein, who chairs the DC Open and owned the Kastles]. So I know he knows how much that means to me.”

Since reaching the third round at Wimbledon earlier this month, Baptiste has been spending time with family and friends who continue to live in Washington. She described the upcoming week at the DC Open as “probably my favorite week out of the year” and “a family tournament.”

But does that mean she feels pressure to perform well in front of the same people who are rooting for her to succeed?

“I wouldn’t say so much that there is pressure, but of course, I want to win and do really well at my home tournament,” she said. “That’s obviously an amazing thing for the fans as well. I think it’s just something that everybody wants.”

Despite cracking the top 50 in the world for the first time, Baptiste said that she still maintains certain standards when it comes to her play.

“Expectations are going to stay the same because when I was [top] 150, 100, I still had the same goals and expectations for myself,” she said. “So I think everything in that is going to stay the same, and obviously, I’m just pushing for more.”

The tournament is the start of the hardcourt season, which culminates in the U.S. Open in Flushing, New York. Baptiste did not get out of the first round in 2020 or 2021 when she played there, but knows how critical a solid outing here can perhaps pay dividends in the future.

“Luckily, it’s at home,” she said. “I’m just going to continue to do the same things that I have been doing throughout the entire year. Working hard on the practice court, getting to the gym, and getting my mind ready for the U.S. Open, which is obviously the home slam.”

Being home and in the presence of family can do wonders for an athlete, especially after a long grass court season in Europe. But Baptiste acknowledged that she has to force herself to leave her family and stay at an area hotel, not with her family.

“I’m a bit too uncomfortable if I’m staying at home,” she said. “So I need to be in that hotel room with just the bed and the TV.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

When Tim — who was called “T” by family and friends — was about 10 years old, his mother Mary asked him why he fought so hard to stay awake.

“His answer was, ‘I didn’t want to miss the fun,’” Rich Strachan recalled. “He was just that kind of person.”

Mr. Strachan, who became a broadcaster for Maryland football games, a lawyer and a motivational speaker after a diving accident that left him paralyzed and prevented him from continuing what had been a promising football career as a star quarterback, died of cancer on July 8. The Kensington resident was less than two months shy of celebrating his 50th birthday.

Mr. Strachan, who was in a wheelchair for the final 32 years of his life, was an inspiration to many who crossed paths with him. Mark Duffner, who coached the Terps during the early stages of Mr. Strachan’s radio broadcasting career, described Mr. Strachan as an unforgettable figure.

“We’re all better because of the impact and awareness and association with Tim Strachan,” he said. “The world needs way more people like this guy because — we called him ‘T-Bird’ — he was a rare bird.”

Added Rich Strachan: “He would tell you that he had two lives, and they were both awesome. He had a good first life and a good second life.”

Mr. Strachan was the youngest of four sons born to and raised by the former Mary Fisher, a homemaker, and Rich Strachan, cofounder of Fisher & Strachan, a commercial interior construction company in Rockville. At DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Mr. Strachan developed into one of the top high school quarterback recruits nationally — on par with peers such as Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb.

“He certainly had everything that every school in the country was looking for as a quarterback,” said Duffner, who asserted that Maryland was the first major college program to offer a scholarship to Mr. Strachan in spring 1993 after he led DeMatha to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title in fall 1992. “He just had everything — size, speed. So it was kind of a no-brainer.”

Despite the Terps’ offer, Mr. Strachan committed to play at Penn State. But on Aug. 5, 1993, during a family vacation at Bethany Beach, Delaware, the 17-year-old rising senior dove into a wave, struck the ocean floor with his head, and was paralyzed from the neck down.

“It was devastating,” his father said. “No one is ever prepared for anything like that. He was airlifted by a helicopter to Philadelphia because that was the regional spot for spinal cord injuries. And then Mary and I had to get our stuff together, and we drove up that night. We drove up that night, and we were there for two months.”

Mr. Strachan returned Penn State’s scholarship offer so that he could begin rehabilitation in Washington. But Duffner and the Terps reconfirmed their offer to Strachan, who accepted.

“We felt at the university that we made an offer to him, and so we honored that,” he said. “And I was very pleased that Dr. [William] Kirwan, the president of the school, and Mr. [Andy] Geiger, the athletic director, were on board to honor that scholarship. I just know that when we got the phone call that he had the accident and everything else, we just made it clear to them that the offer we had made was still enforced.”

Mr. Strachan joined the Terps’ staff as a student coach assisting with the quarterbacks. His work at the position impressed Duffner.

“He wasn’t just some guy that walked out there and was holding the football and twirling around,” he said. “He could learn quickly and had a great thirst for learning, but then could apply it in terms of helping the thought process of our players to be aware and to anticipate their next move.”

Johnny Holliday, who has served 46 years as play-by-play broadcaster for Maryland football and basketball games, asked Duffner if Mr. Strachan, a sophomore at the time, could join the broadcast as a sideline reporter during football games. Mr. Strachan was an immediate success.

“The first game he did, I’m thinking, ‘This guy is magic. It’s like he’s been doing this all of his life,’” Holliday said. “He would predict plays, and every one would come true. He’d say, ‘OK, they’ll probably go with this formation, and they’ll probably run this,’ and they ran it.”

Those who knew Mr. Strachan said that he never wavered in his belief that he would walk again. Terps coach Ralph Friedgen was struck by Mr. Starchan’s determination and remembered one night when they planned to attend an event at DeMatha after an interview in his on-campus office.

“We left at about the same time, and he beat me there,” he said. “I mean, he was just an incredible person.”

Rich Strachan said that his son refused to wallow in self-pity.

“T’s story is not a sad story,” he said. “It’s unfortunate. You could accept the fact that he was where he was, and you just went from there. He went from there, his friends went from there.”

During one preseason camp, Friedgen asked Mr. Strachan to speak to the team.

“He told my players, ‘I know you guys dread going through two-a-days in the hot sun. I would do anything just to be able to do that again,’” he said. “Very uplifting, very positive.”

Diagnosed with cancer more than a year ago, Mr. Strachan endured some trying times, especially in the past several weeks. But he always had the time and strength to welcome visitors.

“There were so many people that wanted to come into the room,” his father said. “He’d be exhausted at the end of the day, and we said, ‘Do you want us to cut back on the number of people?’ He said, ‘Oh, no, I like that.’ God gave him a special talent.”

In addition to his parents, Mr. Strachan is survived by his wife, the former Leslie Neale, of Kensington; two daughters, Sophie and Olivia; one son, Luke; and three brothers, Beau, Bret and Pooh, all of Kensington.

A vigil service of celebration will be held Monday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Morgan and Kathy Wootten Gymnasium inside the Lt. Brendan Looney Convocation Center at DeMatha with a remembrance following at 5 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will take place Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kensington.

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

The Mubadala Citi DC Open will return to the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, a 7,500-seat facility in the Northwest section of Washington that is also the permanent home of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation.

Here is what you need to know about the tournament that opens Saturday and ends on Sunday, July 27:

What is the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

The tournament was co-founded by John A. Harris, Donald Dell, founder of ProServ International, and Arthur Ashe, a Hall of Famer and five-time Grand Slam champion in singles and doubles.

What was once known as the Washington Open on the men’s side was first held in 1969, and the tournament was expanded to include women in 2011. The event was held on clay courts until 1986, when the surface was switched to hard courts.

Andre Agassi owns the record for most DC Open crowns with five (1990, 1991, 1995, 1998 and 1999). Past champions include Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andy Roddick, and Venus and Serena Williams.

What is the DC Open schedule?

Details on matches for qualifying weekend and the main draw were not yet known. Qualifying weekend takes place this Saturday and Sunday, and the main draw starts Monday and runs through Sunday, July 27.

The gates at Rock Creek Tennis Center will open to fans at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Monday through next Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 25 through Sunday, July 27. Fans who have tickets to matches later on Friday and Saturday will be asked to enter at 4 p.m.

All ticket sales are final, and there are no refunds or exchanges if inclement weather moves into the area and impacts matches.

For those who can’t attend matches in-person, the DC Open will be broadcast on the Tennis Channel and TC Plus.

Where is the DC Open?

The Rock Creek Park Tennis Center is located at 5220 16th Street NW in Washington. The North Covered Box Seats, Stadium Pavilion and Hospitality Suites are the only covered sections inside Stadium Court.

Parking is available, but limited for fans who do not have a parking pass. The closest Metro station to the center is the Van Ness-UDC stop on the Red Line, which is about a five-minute walk away from the tennis venue. Fans are encouraged to access the shuttle service from several designated parking lots.

Only clear bags not exceeding 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches, handbags not exceeding 8 inches by 5 inches by 1 inch, and fanny packs not exceeding 8 inches by 5 inches will be permitted inside the facility. Backpacks are prohibited.

One unopened, see-through plastic bottle of water up to 33.5 ounces is allowed per person. If the bottle is not see-through, one empty water container up to 33.5 ounces is admissible. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

Who will play in the DC Open?

Half of the top-10 male players in the world are scheduled to play. That group is headed by No. 4 Taylor Fritz, a finalist in last year’s U.S. Open and a semifinalist in last weekend’s Wimbledon, and includes No. 7 and two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Lorenzo Musetti, No. 8 and three-time major quarterfinalist Holger Rune, No. 9 and two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Ben Shelton, and No. 10 and 10-time major quarterfinalist Andrey Rublev.

The star-studded field also boasts No. 11 and two-time U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, who grew up in nearby Hyattsville, No. 12 and five-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Alex de Minaur, No. 14 and 2021 U.S. Open titlist Daniil Medvedev, No. 16 and 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul, and No. 17 Jakub Mensik. Tiafoe and Shelton plan to pair up in doubles.

The women’s draw is led by No. 4 and 2024 U.S. Open semifinalist Jessica Pegula, No. 6 and Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng, No. 7 and 2025 Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova, and No. 11 and 2024 U.S. Open semifinalist Emma Navarro.

That side also boasts several Grand Slam champions. Naomi Osaka captured titles at the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Open and the 2019 and 2021 Australian Open, Elena Rybakina won the crown at the 2022 Wimbledon, Emma Raducanu took home the title at the 2021 U.S. Open, and Sofia Kenin collected the crown at the 2020 Australian Open.

A pair of fan favorites are also expected to take the court. Venus Williams, the 45-year-old seven-time major champion, accepted a wildcard and will participate in her first competitive match in 16 months. And Nick Kyrgios, 30, will play in the singles draw and team up with two-time major semifinalist Gaël Monfils in doubles after missing the second half of 2023 and the first 10 months of 2024 because of injuries.

There are five former DC Open champions. They are Sebastian Korda (2024), Daniel Evans (2023), Kyrgios (2019 and 2022), Pegula (2019) and Monfils (2016).

Players with local ties

Frances Tiafoe

The Maryland native returns to his home area with a chance to claim his fourth career singles title. The No. 11-ranked player in the world is coming off a quarterfinals appearance at the French Open, where he lost to Musetti.

Last year, “Big Foe” lost in the semifinals at the D.C. Classic to Sebastian Korda in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. He made his debut at the tournament as a 16-year-old in 2014 when it was known as the Citi Open. The 27-year-old has an emphatic game, which should play well in front of a crowd that figures to be favoring the hometown star.

Tiafoe is 18-15 and has yet to win a title this year. He’s one of the highest-seeded players at the tournament, which will result in a favorable draw. The Hyattsville native has made several quarterfinals and semifinals over the years, but has come up short a majority of the time. A win in the nation’s capital could catapult him back into the top 10 for just the second time in his career.

Hailey Baptiste

Baptiste debuted at 17 years old at this tournament and secured perhaps the biggest win of her career, defeating the No. 2 seed and former world No. 7 Madison Keys in the first round in 2019.

A Washington native, she grew up just five minutes away from the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Baptiste started playing with the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, which is the beneficiary of the Citi Open, before training in College Park.

Baptise, who’s coached by Tiafoe’s twin brother Franklin Tiafoe and is close friends with Frances, has never risen into the top 50 of the singles ranking. But in a relatively open field, the 23-year-old could play her way into the later rounds next week.

Robin Montgomery

At 21, Montgomery has a 126-82 career record. She joined the top 100 as the No. 95 player in the world in June. She qualified for the 2024 Wimbledon Championships and reached the quarterfinals at the 2024 DC Open ​after defeating Shelby Rogers and receiving a walkover from fourth seed Ons Jabeur.

Montgomery was born in Washington. She trains at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park.

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Mike Shoals appreciated the life provided by his father.

“He might not have made the Pro Bowl in his career, but as a father, he’s in the Hall of Fame,” he said from his home in Loveland, Ohio. “I mean, he’s the best.”

Mr. Shoals, who played football at the University of Maryland, died of pneumonia on June 30 at Lankenau Medical Center in Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania. He was 86.

Mr. Shoals’ influence wasn’t limited to his family. Alex Stamateris had known Mr. Shoals for the past 35 years and described him as one of the most important people in his life.

“I got a lot from my father, but what my father didn’t teach me, I got from Roger Shoals,” Stamateris said. “I couldn’t have had two better mentors in my life than my own father and Roger. Meeting Roger Shoals was a wonderful experience.”

Mr. Shoals was the first of four children born to and raised by Ruth, a homemaker, and Roger Shoals, a salesman for an adhesive manufacturer. Mr. Shoals was born in Baltimore, but the family moved to Norwalk, Connecticut.

Mr. Shoals played football at Norwalk High School, and his prowess caught the attention of the family’s dentist, who was a Maryland graduate.

“He had a great love for the University of Maryland, and he did whatever he could to help them,” Mike Shoals said. “I know that he was involved in recruiting various players from that area in Connecticut to go to the University of Maryland, and I think my dad was very thankful to him. He was a strong recruiter, and he really influenced my dad to go there.”

At 6 feet 4 and 240 pounds, Mr. Shoals developed into a powerful offensive lineman for the Terps and contributed to three winning seasons, including victories in 1961 over Syracuse (ranked No. 7 nationally at the time) and Penn State. He also wrestled, earning an Atlantic Coast Conference title in the heavyweight division in 1961.

Mr. Shoals was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 16th round of the 1961 NFL draft, but remained in College Park and was rewarded by being named a member of the All-ACC second team later that season. The following year, he was chosen by the Dallas Texans in the 34th round of the AFL draft, but played for Cleveland.

Mr. Shoals played in 104 games with 70 starts primarily at offensive tackle for the Browns (1963-1964), Detroit Lions (1965-1970) and Denver Broncos (1971). He opened running lanes for Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, returned a fumble for his only touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1964, and helped Cleveland capture the NFL championship later that year.

At a time when NFL contracts were not as lucrative as they are today, Mr. Shoals worked full time as a paper salesman. The company he worked for made arrangements with the Lions for Mr. Shoals to skip flights from road games to Detroit in favor of flights to New York City so that he could spend Mondays at the office before returning that night to make it to Lions practice the next day.

Mike Shoals said his father also used his NFL ties to advance his career in sales.

“If they were going to play the Eagles, he would purchase the tickets from the players who didn’t want those tickets and send them all to the [paper company’s] Philadelphia office and say, ‘Here’s 30 tickets for the game. Get the best customers there,’” he said. “And then he would identify who the best customers were and say, ‘Let’s get them into the locker room, and get them a T-shirt or something.’ You couldn’t go to the store and buy a Detroit Lions T-shirt because they weren’t available. So something as simple as a T-shirt was valued because no one else had it.”

Torn ligaments in his knee cut short Mr. Shoals’ season in 1967 after just four games. The aches and pains continued to pile up until he retired after his one season with the Broncos.

“He felt he could have played more, but he basically always said, ‘Listen, I can’t block anybody from a wheelchair. I’m too old to be doing this,’” Mike Shoals said. “He basically retired to concentrate on the paper, which he did for the rest of his career after that.”

Mr. Shoals sold paper for 30 more years after his retirement from football and purchased an ownership stake in a car dealership in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. In his free time, he enjoyed playing golf, going to the beach, fishing, and taking his boat called “Junk Mail” out on the water.

Stamateris, who met Mr. Shoals while boating, said his friend never bragged about his NFL career or his role in a 1968 movie called “Paper Lion” with Alan Alda, Lauren Hutton and Karras. He cited an example of Mr. Shoals keeping in his office the football that he scored against the Eagles.

“You had to ask him about it to get the story,” he said. “He didn’t sit there and go, ‘See that football?’ He wasn’t that kind of person.”

Stamateris said Mr. Shoals was the type of person to invite friends over for dinner and then ask his wife, Jean, if there were more steaks to grill. He said Mr. Shoals enjoyed betting with friends when fishing and golfing, often asking his vanquished opponents to sign $1 bills and then fork them over.

“At one time, Roger had just under 200 of these $1 bills,” he said. “He would take them out and read the names of the people he took them off of. He had four or five of mine.”

In addition to his wife, Jean, of 65 years of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and son, Mr. Shoals is survived by his daughter, Hollie Casper, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; his siblings, Doug Shoals, of Manchester, New Hampshire, Susan Shoals of Wilton, Connecticut, and Steve Shoals of Wilton, Connecticut; and four grandchildren.

Visitation followed by a funeral Mass was held on July 10 at St. John Vianney Church in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania.

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That seemed fitting considering his father, Vinny Cerrato, was a former executive of the San Francisco 49ers and Washington franchise.

“It was a funny coincidence because the 49ers are all over our house, like all of his stuff,” the younger Cerrato said. “I mean, 49 is a number we use a lot. So it was definitely funny seeing that.”

Added the elder Cerrato, a sports talk radio host for 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore: “His agent thought he was going to go between 40 and 50, and he went 49, which is pretty cool.”

The past 12 months have been a whirlwind for Charlie Cerrato. Shortly after enrolling at Penn State, he turned in an eye-opening season that resulted in him earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and then becoming the second-highest draft pick in school history.

Nittany Lions coach Guy Gadowsky said that the Hurricanes swooped up one of the more impressive players he has ever mentored.

“What he is going to add is an incredible competitor and I don’t care what team you are or what league, but everybody can use that no matter how good and successful you are,” he said. “He’s going to raise the competitive nature of that team. That, I can guarantee, and then I think he’s going to bring a lot of other things to the table, too.”

Football might have seemed to be a natural path for Cerrato. After all, his father played quarterback and wide receiver at Iowa State, served coaching stints at Minnesota and Notre Dame, and worked his way up the ladder to become the director of player personnel for San Francisco from February 1995 to July 1999 and Washington from July 1999 to January 2001 and then vice president of football operations for Washington from January 2002 to December 2009.

But growing up in Minnesota, Vinny Cerrato was an avid hockey player himself who met famed coach Herb Brooks when the latter was coaching the Golden Gophers in the late 1970s. He introduced Charlie to the sport when he was 3 years old, coordinating weekly 6 a.m. hockey sessions at a rink in Northern Virginia.

“Before he went to work, he would take me to McDonald’s — I’d always get pancakes there — and then he’d take me over to the ice rink and then drop me off at preschool,” Charlie Cerrato recalled. “It was totally normal.”

After Vinny Cerrato was fired, the family moved to Fallston, and Charlie began playing with club teams in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. That meant round-trip drives of almost 200 miles after school, but also moments of father-son bonding.

“We’d have to drive three days a week, and he’d be doing his homework in the car, and we’d get home at 10 o’clock and he’d be sleeping in the back,” Vinny Cerrato said. “We’d be driving to Boston, Toronto. So it was a lot of driving, but it was great.”

Charlie Cerrato attended Fallston High as a freshman. But with the backing of his parents, Vinny and Rebecca, he moved to Michigan to live with a host family and play for a club in Detroit as a sophomore and then the United States National Team Development Program as a junior and senior.

Initially worried about leaving home, Cerrato learned how to cook and clean, purchased his own gym membership, and bought a bike for travel.

“I think it was the best decision that me and my parents could’ve made because at 15, I grew up, and I learned how to live on my own,” he said. “I think it benefited me a ton because at 18 or 19 years old, most kids are moving away to college and they get homesick. But at 15, that was already done.”

For two years, Cerrato was committed to Michigan. But a coaching change there forced him to re-evaluate his options, and he chose Penn State.

In his first year with the Nittany Lions, Cerrato had 12 points by Christmas. After the holiday, he racked up 30 more points, ranked second nationally among freshmen in both assists (27) and points, won 57.2% of his faceoffs, and contributed to the team’s first run to the NCAA Tournament’s Frozen Four.

“He exceeded our expectations,” Gadowsky said. “He’s a quick learner, a quick study. I think he really took to heart a few of the suggestions that we had which were going to help him with his transition to college hockey, and I think he did a really good job with little things like playing without the puck and shift management.”

As winter turned to spring, Cerrato talked to 27 of the NHL’s 32 teams, including several occasions with 10 of those clubs. But he interviewed with Carolina only once, which added to his shock when the Hurricanes drafted him on June 28.

“It is so unpredictable how the NHL draft goes, and it was definitely a surprise, a great surprise,” he said. “I’m grateful to be drafted by them, but I don’t know if I was expecting that.”

For Vinny Cerrato who spent many years delivering the good news to players selected by the 49ers and Washington, sitting on the other side of the draft process was a bit unsettling.

“I was sweating and everything and pacing around, and I was like, ‘When are we going? Who are we going to?’” he said. “But Carolina is a perfect place for him. They play a very similar style.”

The day after the draft, Charlie Cerrato was on a plane to North Carolina for a four-day development camp. But he plans to return to Penn State for his sophomore year and then coordinate with Hurricanes coaches about the next step in his maturation.

“If the opportunity comes to sign a contract and go play pro hockey for the Canes and their organization, that would be the best option for me because at the end of the day, playing in the NHL is the dream and the biggest goal,” he said. “So I think getting to do that would be a dream come true. We’ll see. If it’s a year or two or whatever it is, then that’s what it is. But I’m happy where I’m at. I love Penn State, and I’m excited to go back.”

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The “Races at Fair Hill” on Aug. 30 will be hosted by the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland in partnership with the Cecil County Breeders Fair, and the event is sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association and the Maryland Racing Commission.

The 1-mile turf track inside the Fair Hill Special Event Zone is scheduled to reopen after the completion of an infrastructure modernization project, which entailed the construction of a sand-based turf course of Kentucky bluegrass with a state-of-the-art irrigation system — the first course of its kind in the state.

Each fall, the Maryland 5 Star — a fixture in sport of eventing that includes dressage, cross-country and show jumping — takes place at Fair Hill, one of only two 5 Star events in the United States and one of seven worldwide. The 2024 Maryland 5 Star generated more than $15 million in direct spending for the state economy, more than $530,000 in local tax receipts and $23.5 million in total business sales in the state.

The horse industry is important to the state, supporting 22,000 direct jobs and driving $713 million in added value to the economy, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

“The historic investments we’re making to ensure the future of horse racing in Maryland are also promoting work, wages, and wealth in communities across the state,” Gov. Wes Moore said in a written statement. “At Fair Hill, we’ve completed track and venue upgrades to usher in a new era of turf track horse racing in Cecil County. Our multifaceted approach will support Maryland’s tourism and agricultural economies, promoting prosperity for years to come.”

Racing at Fair Hill last occurred in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic led to a pause for public events at the space.

“We’re excited to be part of bringing racing back to Cecil County,” said Jeff Newman, senior vice president of events for the Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. “The event on Saturday, August 30 will be a free, family-friendly open house, and we encourage everyone to come out and celebrate the return of live racing to Fair Hill over Labor Day weekend.”

Fair Hill is home to Cecil County Breeders, the National Steeplechase Association and Fair Hill International, a nonprofit organization that helps manage horse events at the site. The natural resource management area has also organized opportunities for youths and families, including the Cecil County Fair, 4-H programs and Pony Club activities.

“Cecil County has a long and storied history with racing at Fair Hill, a longtime community event and cherished tradition that we have missed since the last race event in 2019,” Cecil County Executive Adam Streight said. “We are excited that our partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Sports Commission brings horse racing back home, where it belongs.”

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“I want the best talent up in the box,” he said. “So when you think of a name like that, it’s, like, ‘Oh yeah, I want that matchup.’ I think it’d be a good one for sure.”

Asked if he would be worried about Griffey — whose 630 home runs rank seventh in Major League Baseball history — might go yard on him, Rivera replied, “He wouldn’t. I don’t think he would hit a home run off of me.”

While we might never know the outcome of such a scenario, what is certain is that Rivera, Eagles teammate and senior second baseman Daniel Moore and UMES junior catcher Jonathan Gonzalez Perez will participate in the third annual invitational that will kick off All-Star weekend at Truist Park in Atlanta on the MLB Network at 7 p.m. The trio will join 47 other players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities to learn from baseball legends such as two-time World Series champion Dusty Baker and Hall of Fame outfielder Andre Dawson and get coached by Atlanta Braves greats Brian Jordan and David Justice.

“I really think this is an amazing opportunity from God,” Gonzalez Perez said. “To be able to represent my Maryland Eastern Shore community as well as my own Hispanic community in this event is a big deal. At the national stage where HBCU athletes are given the opportunity to be showcased in front of a lot of people, a lot of MLB scouts as well, above all, to celebrate these cultures, it’s a huge deal, and I’m very proud to be able to represent the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and the community at this event.”

Speaking at a news conference earlier in the month, Reggie Waller, a consultant for the Major League Baseball Players Association and former assistant general manager for the San Diego Padres, said players from HBCU programs deserve as much attention as their peers at power conferences.

“We are a byproduct of all of the exposures and the opportunities that we were given,” he said. “As these young men come here, they need to know that they’re worthy not just because the outside world deems them to be worthy, but they need to know that they are worthy because of their unique talents that they bring to the table.”

Coppin State coach Sherman Reed noted that 17 HBCU schools sponsor varsity baseball programs, but not all have the deep pockets to equip their players with technology like Trackman, which is customary at the professional level.

“Particularly, the analytics are so important now, and Trackman is so important in gauging spin rates and all the things that’s now being closely monitored in terms of trying to project a pro,” he said. “We don’t have all of that technology, but they do have it at the Swingman Classic. So a lot of the numbers that the Major League scouts are going to be looking for from the analytic standpoint, they will have that from the Trackman technology that certainly will be available to all the scouts here in this classic.”

All three area players enjoyed standout seasons this past spring. Rivera was named to the All-Northeast Conference second team after compiling a 5-4 record with a 4.91 earned run average while striking out a Coppin State-record 97 batters in 80 2/3 innings. He struck out at least seven batters in 10 of his 14 starts.

Rivera had a pre-MLB draft workout with the Detroit Tigers, and Reed said Rivera is projected as a late-round pick in the draft, which takes place Sunday and Monday.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed,” he said. “But this kind of gives him more stock, particularly if he goes out there and performs the way we know Reagan Rivera is capable.”

Moore led the Eagles (15-34, 13-17) in doubles (12) and runs batted in (36) and ranked second in batting average (.330). Despite being the team’s top second baseman, he switched to shortstop after the team’s projected starter at that position battled an arm injury.

Gonzalez Perez paced UMES (7-41, 6-24 Northeast Conference) in batting average (.331) and ranked second on the team in hits (47), third in doubles (11) and fourth in runs batted in (26). He also threw out nine runners attempting to steal bases.

Rivera and Moore are the third group of Coppin State players to be invited to the HBCU Swingman Classic. Catcher Mike Dorcean, outfielder Jordan Hamberg and pitcher Rashad Ruff played in the inaugural game in 2023, and catcher Samuel Nieves was there last summer.

Moore said he tried to glean as much as he could from Nieves about his presence there.

“He said it was just a good experience to be around the guys and the people there, the knowledge that you can just soak up,” he said. “In baseball, you just can’t beat those moments of just being out there, having fun, and playing the game.”

Outfielder Brantley Cutler represented UMES at the event in 2023, and coach Danny Acosta and Reed said they can cite their programs’ presence at the games in recruiting pitches to prospective players.

“It puts us back on the map,” Acosta said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for the program. I’m here in my third year. So having a guy just shows that the work we’re doing is going in the right direction.”

For the first time, the coaches of the HBCU programs were invited to the HBCU Swingman Classic, and Griffey will be a popular choice for both Acosta and Reed. Acosta wears the No. 24 retired by the Seattle Mariners when Griffey played for them.

Ken Griffey Jr. had young baseballers around the globe wearing backwards caps. It wasn’t a fashion statement. Junior says he had a “peanut head”, and he just wanted to wear his dad’s hat!@thepivot https://t.co/6DOkE3qwl3@FredTaylorMade @OfficialCrowder @alicialauren pic.twitter.com/RkOdBsT3An

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 4, 2022

Reed, on the other hand, joked that he plans to mention how he has banned his players from wearing their baseball caps backwards — a move birthed by Griffey as a way to emulate his father Ken Griffey Sr. when he played for the Cincinnati Reds.

“I’ve got to talk to Ken about that a little, like, ‘Hey, man, you’re still getting kids in trouble,’” Reed said. “But Ken Griffey would be a big one for me. I can’t wait.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.