Rafael Nadal accepts wild card entrance into Citi Open in Washington D.C.

Rafael Nadal, the current world number three has accepted a wild card entry into the Citi Open, the tournament announced on Thursday. The ATP 500 is scheduled to take place in Washington D.C. from August 2 to August 8 at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Centre, for the very first time.

Nadal said "I am very excited to come to Washington for the first time, I have never been there, and it’s one more place I wanted to come and play. I am looking forward to playing again, and Washington shall be the best start for the U.S. summer swing for me. Looking forward to seeing my US fans again that I have not seen since I won the 2019 US Open in NYC! Vamos!"

After his French Open semifinal, Nadal announced he would not be playing at this year's Wimbledon, where he is a two-time champion, explaining that he needed to “listen to (my) body.” The short turnaround time from the French Open to Wimbledon this year, compressed from three weeks to two, was a significant factor in Nadal’s thinking, his coach later explained.

Nadal will face stiff opposition 

Nadal will be joined by a strong opposition at the Citi Open that includes four players who reached Wimbledon’s final eight, semifinalists Denis Shapovalov and Hubert Hurkacz, who ousted Federer in straight sets Wednesday, and quarterfinalists Félix Auger-Aliassime and Karen Khachanov.

Nadal will also have competition in the form of 2019 Citi Open winner Nick Kyrgios, former Citi champions Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori and Hyattsville’s Frances Tiafoe, who equalled his career-best performance at Wimbledon this year in reaching the third round.

For its return this summer, the capacity at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center will be limited to 50% under pandemic guidelines set by the U.S. Park Service, which owns the property on which the tennis complex sits.

Nadal’s participation is a big plus for the event, which was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Nadal's overall record is impeccable 

Ranked number three in the world, Nadal has finished as the sport’s year-end number one five times and held the number one ranking for 209 weeks. He has won 88 ATP singles titles, including 36 Masters 1000 events in addition to the men’s record-tying 20 Grand Slams.

Nadal last competed in the United States in 2019, when he won his fourth U.S. Open. He chose not to defend his title in 2020 when the U.S. Open was held without spectators and under strict protocols as health officials struggled to contain the virus’s spread.

The Citi Open starts the 2021 North American hard-court swing that minimizes time-zone changes and border crossings for travel-weary players. It will be followed by ATP Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati, leading into the U.S. Open.

(Image Credits: @RafaelNadal/Twitter)