The ATP 500 hard-court tournament in Washington, D.C., produced a captivating first-round draw on Friday, headlined by an all-Italian clash between Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Arnaldi. The event, which runs from July 28 to August 3 at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, serves as a key preparation for the North American hard-court swing leading into the US Open.
Musetti, currently ranked No. 9 in the world and the second seed in Washington, will take on fellow Italian Arnaldi in what promises to be a fascinating encounter between contrasting styles. Musetti's elegant one-handed backhand and creative shot-making will be tested by Arnaldi's powerful baseline game and relentless intensity. Arnaldi, ranked No. 35, has enjoyed a solid season and will see the derby as an opportunity to make a deep run in a 500-level event.
The top seed, Alex De Minaur of Australia, received no favours from the draw. He will open his campaign against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who entered the tournament via a wildcard after winning the Swiss Open in Gstaad last weekend. Tsitsipas, a former world No. 3 and Grand Slam finalist, has endured a difficult 2026 campaign by his standards but remains one of the most dangerous floaters in any draw. Their first-round meeting is arguably the most high-profile match of the opening round.
