In 2022, Har-Tru will sponsor the historic Citi Open® Tournament, held annually in Washington D.C.’s Rock Creek Park. The four-year arrangement 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.

About Har-Tru

Har-Tru, LLC is a global tennis company based in Charlottesville, VA. It is the world's leading provider of clay court surfaces, tennis court consultation, court equipment and accessories. The company strives to help others build and maintain the best courts in the world, leveraging its products, knowledge, and experience to most effectively meet the needs of each customer. Har-Tru works with trained independent contractors, authorized builders, and experienced installers. The company advises owners, clubs, and other professionals on the latest court technology, construction materials and installation methods. Har-Tru's industry-leading support and resources are available during all phases of purchasing, installing, and owning a Har-Tru court. For more information, visit hartru.com or call 434-327-1501.

About Citi Open

The Citi Open® tournament has been Washington, D.C.’s premier tennis event since 1969 and benefits the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), the tournament’s non-profit owner and beneficiary. Beginning in 2019, MDE Sports, founded by venture capitalist and entrepreneur Mark Ein, took over management and operation of the tournament under an agreement with WTEF. The organization provides underserved children in the D.C.-area with a safe environment to learn critical life skills both on and off the courts through academic and athletic enrichment. The Citi Open Tennis Tournament is one of only 13 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide and the only one held in the United States. The tournament also features a women’s invitational tournament, which provides fans the opportunity to watch simultaneous competitions of both world-class men’s and women’s tennis throughout the nine-day event. Washington is one of the five largest tennis events in the United States, and after 50 years, it is also the longest-running pro tennis event at the same site in the United States.